Do you think pothole avoidance could be solved with a software upgrade?

[xrayvsn]

Saw this feature on pothole avoidance for Ford:

New Ford Fusion skips over potholes

For those with air suspension, do you think it could be something as simple as a software upgrade (what I hope) or do you think additional hardware would be required?

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

 

[sorka]

The only thing adjustable on the air suspension is the inflation pressure of the air spring's bag. For the Fusion's suspension to do this, it would have to lock the suspension in place electromagnetically(most likely) to prevent it's spring from pushing downwards.....or it would have to increase the rebound damping so high that it essentially can't move the spring out fast enough when the tire is no longer making contact due to a pot hole opening up underneath as it goes by locking down the valve for that brief few ms to keep the strut from extending.

The Model S suspension has noadjustable damping and the air pressure takes seconds to change he height of the car by a mere inch.

 

[Ingineer]

I would like to see the AP detect a pothole and if possible steer to avoid it if it can be done safely. Though I think the mono camera used is probably not up to the task.

I don't think the air suspension can react fast enough even if there was a reliable way to detect the pothole.

 

[cochese]

Best bet here is Waze style reporting and warnings.

 

[xrayvsn]

wow that Bose active suspension looks incredible (same company that makes speakers?). Looks like from video quality that it is old technology too. Wonder why it never took off (probably $$$$$)

 

[mobe]

Gm demonstrated several active suspension corvette test mules in the late 80s, early 90s.
1990 Chevy Corvette ZR-1 Prototype - GM High-Tech Performance

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I always envisioned 2-4 small cameras ahead of the wheels that would 'read' road conditions and feed data to shocks that could do this... I assume that's what BOSE did. I'd classify all suspensions as 'active'. We need to move from reactive suspensions to proactive. Change the shock before the tire makes contact with something.

 

[cgiGuy]

I was watching that video like "meh" until the end.. blew my mind.

 

[David99]

Speed bumps and pot holes could be mapped by the car. If the car recognizes one (sensors on the suspension) it could automatically map it and share it with other cars. Other cars could avoid that lane or slow down automatically, or at least warn you ahead of time. A suspension that jumps the car over holes or speed bumps is probably a pretty expensive system. Although, a system that can just lock the suspension for the short moment where the wheel goes over the pot hole would probably be less expensive. But what if the hole is large and you are going slow. Then a locked suspension would make things worse. Not sure what the best solution would be.

Here in Los Angeles, the roads are so bad. It would probably warm me every 10 seconds LOL

 

[xrayvsn]

I guess the one issue about mapping potholes in particular would be eventually (or maybe not) they get fixed. I would think it might then cause some weird behavior over a fixed pothole if it thinks a pothole still exists.