The automobile is changing and so, too, are the electronics that make them run. The most radical example is the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) where a 300-400V Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery replaces the gas tank, and a three-phase propulsion motor replaces the combustion engine. Sophisticated battery pack monitoring, regenerative braking systems, and complex transmission control […]

Editor’s Note: The history of development and deployment of alternate-energy vehicles underscores the problems facing the American Auto industry. Where and what are the big three’s plans for next-generation vehicle development? Do you feel that Hybrid technology is a “bridge” tech, or one with a viable future? IMHO, Hybrid tech provides the refuel capability (and operating […]

Hall-effect Sensors Measure Up For the last half-century, sensors based on the Hall effect have provided a low-cost, solid-state option for sensing any object that incorporates a magnetic field. Hall effect sensors are based on the discovery by Dr. Edwin H. Hall in 1879. He found that a thin conductive material, placed in a magnetic […]