RDS
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Anyone fitted non OEM front parking sensors?
I didn't want the bumper drilled and sensors inserted there. I then found a sensor kit that sends signals collected by sensors via a box in the engine compartment to a small audio/visual display in the cabin, wirelessly. There is no need to trail wires though the bulkhead.
In my pre-facelift '18, the box located in the engine compartment takes its power from a piggy back fuse in fuse slot 72, Rain Sensor circuit, which is powered only in run/acc key position and is otherwise un-switched. The display is similarly powered from a run/acc source but is otherwise un-switched.
The sensors are located under the number plate plinth and in the sides of the plinth, ie 90 degrees to the direction of usual travel. The problem is that so far this means that in the first iteration of this project, the sensors were angled such that they pick up the road and the surrounding bodywork and then when corrected, tend to go back to that position after a little time, thereby giving false positive readings. Nevertheless, even before the sensors pivot back to this false position, just driving along (as opposed to being stationary) appears to set the sensors off continually, I think due to the mass of air that the sensor is perpetually rushing toward.
I may have analysed the physics of the sensor/air interaction incorrectly here, but is this why it might be a good idea to stop the sensors working at speed over 5mph by introducing a master switch to stop the false positives and only operate the system when actually parking?
I had wanted to leave the sensors on permanently whilst driving because here we have to leave a strict distance, even on narrow roads, between the car and cyclist, plus I like the idea of extra warnings for the times that eg someone not familiar with the dimensions etc might drive the car.
Thoughts welcome.
I didn't want the bumper drilled and sensors inserted there. I then found a sensor kit that sends signals collected by sensors via a box in the engine compartment to a small audio/visual display in the cabin, wirelessly. There is no need to trail wires though the bulkhead.
In my pre-facelift '18, the box located in the engine compartment takes its power from a piggy back fuse in fuse slot 72, Rain Sensor circuit, which is powered only in run/acc key position and is otherwise un-switched. The display is similarly powered from a run/acc source but is otherwise un-switched.
The sensors are located under the number plate plinth and in the sides of the plinth, ie 90 degrees to the direction of usual travel. The problem is that so far this means that in the first iteration of this project, the sensors were angled such that they pick up the road and the surrounding bodywork and then when corrected, tend to go back to that position after a little time, thereby giving false positive readings. Nevertheless, even before the sensors pivot back to this false position, just driving along (as opposed to being stationary) appears to set the sensors off continually, I think due to the mass of air that the sensor is perpetually rushing toward.
I may have analysed the physics of the sensor/air interaction incorrectly here, but is this why it might be a good idea to stop the sensors working at speed over 5mph by introducing a master switch to stop the false positives and only operate the system when actually parking?
I had wanted to leave the sensors on permanently whilst driving because here we have to leave a strict distance, even on narrow roads, between the car and cyclist, plus I like the idea of extra warnings for the times that eg someone not familiar with the dimensions etc might drive the car.
Thoughts welcome.
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