A vehicle damage detector includes: a vehicle with a motor, a suspension, a wheel, a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement; processor(s) configured to: estimate existing suspension damage based on the reports, project marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage, calculate a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route.

A vehicle includes a collision determination ECU determining whether a possibility of collision is present, based on a detection result of a detection sensor detecting outside of the vehicle, a motor, a boosting circuit and a battery supplying a high voltage to the motor, and an electric suspension control ECU controlling the boosting circuit and the motor, and in a case where the collision determination ECU determines that the possibility of collision is present, the electric suspension control ECU limits the supply of the high voltage to the motor.

A component of a machine. The component has a measuring fixture for measuring forces and at least one metallic, magnetic portion. The measuring fixture includes at least one field-generating member for producing an electromagnetic alternating field and at least one detection member for detecting changes of the magnetic field produced. The field-generating member and the detection members are arranged on the metallic, magnetic portion and are designed to interact with the metallic, magnetic portion in such manner that by way of the measuring fixture, as a function of measurement signals from the detection member, forces acting on and/or deformations of the component can be detected.

An automatic shutoff system for a motor vehicle, the automatic shutoff system including a front suspension system disposed at a front portion of the motor vehicle, the front suspension system comprising at least one spring wrapped around at least one arm, at least one sensor disposed on the at least one arm to sense when the at least one spring has been jarred at a predetermined intensity, a curb jump detection system to receive at least one signal from the at least one sensor when the at least one spring has been jarred at the predetermined intensity, and to process the at least one signal to determine whether a curb has been jumped by the front suspension system, and a computer system to receive a signal from the curb jump detection system when the curb jump detection system determines that the curb has been jumped by the front suspension system, and to control a motor to shut off.

An automatic shutoff system for a motor vehicle, the automatic shutoff system including a front suspension system disposed at a front portion of the motor vehicle, the front suspension system comprising at least one spring wrapped around at least one arm, at least one sensor disposed on the at least one arm to sense when the at least one spring has been jarred at a predetermined intensity, a curb jump detection system to receive at least one signal from the at least one sensor when the at least one spring has been jarred at the predetermined intensity, and to process the at least one signal to determine whether a curb has been jumped by the front suspension system, and a computer system to receive a signal from the curb jump detection system when the curb jump detection system determines that the curb has been jumped by the front suspension system, and to control a motor to shut off.

A vehicle includes a collision determination ECU determining whether a possibility of collision is present, based on a detection result of a detection sensor detecting outside of the vehicle, a motor, a boosting circuit and a battery supplying a high voltage to the motor, and an electric suspension control ECU controlling the boosting circuit and the motor, and in a case where the collision determination ECU determines that the possibility of collision is present, the electric suspension control ECU limits the supply of the high voltage to the motor.

A vehicle damage detector includes: a vehicle with a motor, a suspension, a wheel, a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement; processor(s) configured to: estimate existing suspension damage based on the reports, project marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage, calculate a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route.

A vehicle comprising a first leaf spring connected to a chassis so as to, while deflecting, allow relative vertical movement between the chassis and a wheel axle and thereby also between the chassis and wheels, and a control circuitry configured to: compare the signal indicative of the actual path followed by the wind-up center with a representation of a reference path that the wind-up center of the first leaf spring should follow when the first leaf spring is well-functioning and deflects as intended; determine whether a difference between the actual path and the reference path is greater than a threshold value; and, in response to the determined difference greater than the threshold, generate an alarm signal indicative of a detected or possibly detected leaf spring failure.

A method of producing a control arm for a motor vehicle, in particular a multi-point control arm, preferably a transverse control arm, which is substantially formed by a fiber-plastic composite structure. The method includes the steps: creating of a preform structure with load-adapted fiber orientation, introducing the preform structure into a forming tool, consolidating the preform structure in the tool by application of pressure and/or temperature, and removing and further processing of the control arm.

An air-ride axle/suspension system for a heavy-duty vehicle. A frame and at least a pair of suspension assemblies support opposite ends of an axle for movement relative to the frame. An air spring is associated with one of the suspension assemblies that establishes a first relative position between the axle and the frame as a function of fluid pressure in the air spring. A tire and wheel assembly is operatively mounted to an end portion of the axle associated with the air spring. A sensor detects an inflation condition of the tire and wheel assembly. A venting system exhausts fluid pressure from the air spring to establish a second relative position between the axle and the frame that is different than the first relative position in response to detecting a predetermined inflation condition of the tire and wheel assembly.