The Role of Virtual Sensors in the Future of Automotive Safety

easyrain automotive insight virtual sensors automotive safety01

As the automotive industry accelerates towards a future dominated by autonomous vehicles, safety remains paramount. A critical new frontier is emerging: **virtual sensors for automotive safety**. These innovative software-based solutions are poised to revolutionize the sector. They offer unprecedented accuracy, reliability, and adaptability, especially in challenging driving conditions. This article delves into the transformative role of virtual sensors. We explore their distinct advantages and their profound impact on enhancing vehicle safety systems.

Advantages of Virtual Sensors for Automotive Safety Over Traditional Hardware

Traditional automotive sensors are indispensable. However, they face inherent limitations. Physical components can be susceptible to environmental factors. Dirt, fog, rain, or snow can compromise their data. Furthermore, their accuracy can be affected by physical wear, calibration shifts, or electromagnetic interference. This is where virtual sensors offer a compelling alternative and powerful complement. They directly contribute to **virtual sensors for automotive safety** advancements.

Enhanced Data Interpretation and Reliability with Virtual Sensors

Virtual sensors are software algorithms. They derive information about the vehicle’s state or its environment. This data comes from existing on-board sensors (like wheel speed, steering angle, accelerometer, GPS, etc.). Their advantages are multifaceted. By fusing data from multiple sources, virtual sensors often infer parameters with greater precision. They use sophisticated algorithms, especially in ambiguous situations. They can “see” what physical sensors might miss. Environmental interference might cause misinterpretations. Research in this field, such as studies found on ResearchGate, consistently highlights these improvements.

Cost-Effectiveness and Robustness of Virtual Sensor Solutions

As software solutions, virtual sensors eliminate the need for additional physical hardware. This significantly reduces manufacturing costs, weight, and complexity during vehicle assembly. Their integration is primarily a software task. This allows for faster deployment and Over-The-Air (OTA) updates. Virtual sensors also provide an invaluable layer of redundancy. If a physical sensor fails or provides unreliable data, a virtual sensor can often continue to estimate critical parameters. This maintains safety functionality. This enhances the overall robustness of ADAS and autonomous driving systems. It’s a topic often discussed by organizations like SAE International.

Operating in “Unseen” Conditions: A Virtual Sensor Advantage

Virtual sensors can estimate parameters difficult or impossible for physical sensors to directly measure. Examples include road friction coefficients, tire grip limits, or subtle changes in road surface conditions like a thin film of water. This capability is vital for navigating low-grip scenarios safely. Unlike reactive physical sensors, virtual sensors can also be designed with predictive models. They anticipate potential hazards or changes in vehicle dynamics before they physically manifest.

Automotive virtual sensor technology

How Virtual Sensors Revolutionize Automotive Safety Systems

The ability of virtual sensors to process and interpret complex data streams fundamentally transforms how automotive safety systems operate. Their impact on accuracy and reliability is profound.

Precise Road Condition and Hazard Assessment for Enhanced Safety

Virtual sensors analyze minute variations in wheel speed, slip, and vehicle dynamics. They accurately detect changes in road surface conditions. This includes transitions from dry to wet asphalt, or the presence of ice or snow. This real-time, precise understanding of grip levels allows ADAS to adapt braking, acceleration, and steering inputs dynamically. This prevents loss of control. By continuously monitoring vehicle parameters and environmental cues, virtual sensors can identify precursors to dangerous situations. For instance, they can detect the early stages of hydroplaning. This happens before the driver (or even other physical sensors) perceives a problem. This triggers preventive actions.

Improving Vehicle Control and Autonomous Decision-Making with Virtual Sensors

With a more accurate real-time estimate of available grip, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) operate with greater precision. They optimize braking force and traction delivery to maximize safety and control. This reduces stopping distances in adverse conditions. For autonomous vehicles, highly accurate and reliable sensor data is non-negotiable. Virtual sensors provide critical “ground truth” information about the vehicle-road interaction. This enables autonomous driving systems to make safer, more informed decisions. This is crucial at higher speeds or in challenging environments. This is where the true potential of **virtual sensors for automotive safety** is realized.

Advanced virtual sensor display in car

Easyrain: Pioneering the Future of Automotive Safety with Virtual Sensors

At Easyrain, we are at the forefront of developing and integrating cutting-edge virtual sensor technologies. Our goal is to redefine **automotive safety with virtual sensors**. Our solutions are specifically engineered to address the most critical challenges in autonomous driving, particularly in low-grip and adverse weather conditions. Learn more about who we are at Easyrain.

Our Core Ecosystem: DAI Virtual Sensor Platform and AIS

Our ecosystem is built on two foundational pillars. Both heavily rely on the power of virtual sensors:

  • DAI (Digital Advanced Information) – The Virtual Sensor Platform: DAI is our revolutionary software platform of virtual sensors. It offers innovative safety and efficiency features. It provides the crucial “haptic sense” that complements traditional visual perception. This makes autonomous driving Level 3 and above on low grip truly viable. DAI’s sophisticated algorithms perform both road sensing (detecting Aquaplaning, Snow & Ice, and Irregular Ground conditions) and vehicle sensing (monitoring iTPMS, Wheel Misalignment, and Tire Wear). This hardware-free approach minimizes OEM integration effort. It also significantly enhances ADAS accuracy and optimization in dangerous driving conditions.
  • AIS (Aquaplaning Intelligent Solution) – The Active Prevention System: AIS is the world’s first and only active safety system. It’s specifically designed to eliminate aquaplaning risks. Powered by crucial data from our virtual sensors, AIS actively enhances grip. It sprays fluid jets ahead of the front tires. This prevents the loss of control that typically occurs on wet surfaces. This system is key to truly enhance ADAS systems for limited grip scenarios. It ensures the vehicle maintains control when it matters most.

Enhanced Fleet Management with ERC Cloud and Virtual Sensor Data

Furthermore, our ERC (Easyrain Cloud) leverages DAI (virtual sensor) data. It enables advanced predictive infrastructure maintenance and optimized fleet management. This allows for the sharing of critical hazard coordinates. It improves overall road safety innovations. It also solves a significant problem that still contributes to a large number of accidents on low-grip surfaces.

Unparalleled Safety Capabilities with Easyrain’s Virtual Sensors

The integration of Easyrain’s solutions allows carmakers to offer vehicles with unparalleled safety capabilities. Our patented technologies are designed for short integration times. They feature Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, ensuring continuous improvement. We believe our virtual sensor systems are pivotal. They make autonomous driving solutions truly viable and safe for widespread adoption. Ultimately, this contributes to a future with fewer accidents and fatalities on the roads. It sets new standards for **automotive safety with virtual sensors** globally. Achieving optimal **virtual sensors for automotive safety** remains our core mission.

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Ugo Caiazzo Joins Easyrain as CTO to Drive Automotive Safety Innovation | Easyrain

Headshot of Ugo Caiazzo, the new Chief Technical Officer of Easyrain, a leader in automotive safety innovation.
Headshot of Ugo Caiazzo, the new Chief Technical Officer of Easyrain, a leader in automotive safety innovation.

Easyrain Appoints Ugo Caiazzo as CTO to Accelerate Automotive Safety and Autonomous Driving Innovation

Easyrain proudly announces Ugo Caiazzo as its new Chief Technical Officer. This appointment, recognizing his expertise, reinforces Easyrain’s commitment to advancing road safety, ADAS, and autonomous driving through innovation.

Ugo Caiazzo brings over 25 years of experience in vehicle and propulsion control. He will lead Easyrain’s technology strategy and the development of advanced solutions. Additionally, he will head the expanding R&D team, focusing on the commercialization of DAI and AIS, as well as new solutions for snow and ice, which are vital for low-grip road safety.

The DAI platform is becoming a comprehensive virtual sensors automotive solution. It offers both road and vehicle sensing functionalities. Furthermore, future development will enable AIS to prevent hazards on snow and ice. The ERC cloud will also gain advanced sensor fusion capabilities. This will improve ADAS calibration and enhance autonomous driving solutions, reinforcing Easyrain’s commitment to aquaplaning prevention and overall automotive safety solutions.

With its innovative virtual sensor technology and active safety systems, Easyrain is dedicated to advancing road safety, optimizing ADAS, and enabling more reliable autonomous driving.

Easyrain products on the way to industrialization

Easyrain Vizzola2022 733679

An important result for us as we exhibit our technologies in Italdesign Climb-E autonomous vehicle

Easyrain Vizzola2022 733679

We save lives!

Not just a slogan, but a mission that is now closer. After the positive test campaign and the Easyrain Experience in November, where carmakers got behind the wheel of proof-of-concept vehicles, the time has come for Easyrain to move on to the industrialization stage: the AIS anti-aquaplaning system and DAI detection software are on the way to reach the market. 

An important milestone for the Italian startup dedicated to road safety on low-grip conditions, offering OEMs hardware, software and cloud solutions – operating standalone or combined – to improve vehicle safety on wet road, and to eventually restore grip in the event of aquaplaning. 

Along with technologies meant for wet and aquaplaning conditions, Easyrain is developing new algorithms to detect loss of tire contact on snow, ice and slippery road surfaces, making driving safer when grip is limited. Together with these new algorithms, the Turin-based startup has begun testing a software to detect wrong symmetry in the car set-up: an essential feature for improving vehicle safety, reducing CO2 and avoiding unusual tire wear. This software activate new safety functions and will lead to a new generation of ADAS systems, capable of modulating the level of driving assistance according to the road surface. 

In addition to the software, Easyrain is also working on the evolution of AIS hardware system, which is expected to debut on the market in mid-2026. The first active system to counter aquaplaning is heading towards industrialization and new components are being studied to reduce weight, size, and cost. Such components have been conceived along with Tier-1s: Easyrain is collaborating with them for the development stage and for all the steps of production process. At the same time, preliminary studies have begun on a brand-new hardware product (known internally as Project-X) designed to bring road safety on low-grip surfaces on a next level. The goal is to restore grip not just on very wet surfaces, but also in the event of loss of control on ice and snow. Easyrain aims to develop essential safety systems to help achieve the European goal of zero deaths on the road by 2050. 

These innovations, which are requiring further growth of the team, made 2022 a year to remember. Easyrain collected positive feedback from car makers, culminating in the Easyrain Experience in November in Applus+ IDIADA Spanish proving ground: test drives with OEMs showcased the systems effectiveness on various types of cars, including sedan, station wagon and SUV. The participants provided enthusiastic responses: the AIS test was compared to the introduction of stability and braking control systems. 

Together with the OEMs, Easyrain has held several technical discussions aimed at integrating its products into vehicles. Easyrain offers many levels of products integration: from detection algorithms to activate new functions or improve assisted driving functions, up to the complete package including DAI, AIS and ERC, to make the most of the enormous potential of software, hardware and cloud. 

The Easyrain Cloud (ERC) is also being developed. ERC stores data from the DAI and algorithms; this information allows the refinement of the algorithms and predictive warning services in the event of wet asphalt, aquaplaning, icy surfaces, potholes, and wear of car components. Furthermore, ERC will also be used to update in real time a new database dedicated to road safety, where private companies, agencies and public bodies will find information on dangers on the road network.

Easyrain technologies are ready for today’s cars, but they are already on-board tomorrow’s vehicles. AIS, DAI and ERC are integrated on Italdesign Climb-E, an autonomous vehicle that previews future mobility, being presented at 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The safety of tomorrow passes through the solutions Easyrain is developing today. 

GIOVANNI BLANDINA, EASYRAIN FOUNDER AND CEO

“Participating in the CES is an important moment for Easyrain. We are thrilled to see our technologies integrated in a vehicle embodying the future such as the Italdesign Climb-E. This drives us to continue along the path we have approached: we were alone at the beginning, but today we feel the enthusiasm of the carmakers who have tested our technologies and are asking us to bring them into production. Easyrain had an exciting 2022 marked by the success of the new version of AIS and DAI. Let’s head into 2023 with concentration: we have a duty and a great responsibility we are carrying out thanks to an extraordinary team, solid partners, and investment funds ready to support us. In particular, I would like to thank Italdesign and their CEO, Antonio Casu, for the long partnership and believing in our mission”. 

EMANUELE PIRRO, EASYRAIN PRODUCT AND BUSINESS DEVELOPER

“Safety, both on the track and on the roads, has always been close to my heart. Accidents mainly happen due to inattention or “ignorance”, which means not knowing the risk you are running, underestimating your speed for a specific road condition, and then reacting inappropriately causing a vehicle loss of control. Every single road accident is avoidable, often with a few precautions. As soon as I learned about Easyrain, I immediately thought of its enormous potential in preventing and/or eliminating loss of vehicle control and consequently accidents in particularly dangerous road conditions. I am very involved in its development, and I am convinced that in the future we will talk about it in the same way today we mention anti-locking braking and stability systems. The more autonomous driving technologies gets popular, the more Easyrain systems will become an indispensable tool for safe driving.” 

Products overview

DAI AND DETECTION SOFTWARES

Easyrain has developed and patented the Digital Aquaplaning Information (DAI for short) detection software, capable of estimating the tires loss of contact with the road surface, not only in the event of aquaplaning but also in other critical situations, such as puddles involving one side of the car – particularly dangerous as they might cause a strong yaw or provoke an inappropriate reaction by the driver. 

The DAI provides several warning levels, which can be associated with new safety features. One of these is the integration – successfully tested in the Easyrain Experience – of the software with the adaptive cruise control (ACC), thus able to modulate the vehicle speed on wet surfaces not only in connection with the distance from the car in front, but with the level of water on the asphalt. 

The DAI software does not require an Internet connection and it calculates the output according to the tires type, brand, level of wear and pressure. It is very simple to install, does not require specific calibrations and offers maximum accuracy; DAI data transmission speed depends by the CAN network’s. The DAI software can be installed as standard, downloaded from carmaker’s store or developed with features coming from partner companies. 

ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEM TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS ON WET ROAD

When the DAI software detects dangerous situations, it triggers the Aquaplaning Intelligent Solution (AIS for short), the first safety system in the world that does not act on the car but modifies the asphalt conditions before the wheel travels over it. 

Using small injectors hidden inside the bumper, AIS sprays a small amount of water in front of the front wheels to eliminate the excess of water on the road, allowing the tires to recover contact with the road and restore the functioning of the anti-locking braking and stability systems, which otherwise would not spring into action due to the wheel floating. 

Through a patented system, the water used by the AIS comes from the windshield washer fluid tank: this allows not to alter the car’s construction process, but also to not add new components. AIS activation is extremely rapid, and injection is meant to optimize water consumption. 

CLOUD PLATFORM FOR PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS

Easyrain ecosystem is completed by the Easyrain Cloud (ERC for short), designed to extend DAI functionalities and to make the most of data sharing: the information collected by the DAI can be used internally, to refine the detection algorithm, or shared with various players to allow services such as predictive maintenance of road network, replacement of worn car components and the creation of databases for road safety. The information collected by the DAI and shared by ERC will be used to inform traditional and self-driving vehicles of a possible danger before they approach it, for adapting driving speed or pre-alerting safety systems based on the level of grip. 

First tests on AIS with two injectors

Easyrain 2023 AIS anti-aquaplaning system

November 2022 test has provided outstanding results on AIS performance and robusteness

Easyrain 2023 AIS anti-aquaplaning system

During recent testing sessions, we investigated on improved AIS anti-aquaplaning system with nozzle fully covered in the front bumper and two water sprays per side produced by fixed injectors.

Injectors are one the key parts of the AIS system as they spray water under pressure, coming from the accumulators, onto the road in the most efficient way.

The results? Above expectation! AIS is mighty, robust and production oriented no matter on the vehicle – in the picture you see our Audi A6, but AIS has did it well also on an SUV.

AIS is one step closer to industrialization!

AIS IN ACTION

Easyrain at Motor Valley Accelerator EXPO

Easyrain @ Motor Valley Fest

In the very center of Motor Valley to share our background on startups and road safety

Easyrain @ Motor Valley Fest

Founded with the aim of helping the growth of young companies specialized in high-potential markets, the Motor Valley Accelerator program focuses on technological innovation and constant research within the automotive world. This is the first Italian vertical accelerator within the automotive industry, born in the very center of the

Founded with the aim of Motor Valley from a joint initiative of the national network of CDP Venture Capital Sgr – Fondo Nazionale Innovazione, UniCredit, and the Modena Foundation to create relationships between companies and startups in the sector mobility.

Easyrain has been invited to share its background on being a successful startup in the field of automotive industry.