CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
In this chapter, it will discuss the project background and the problem statement of the project. it will also be included the objectives of the project and the scope or limitation faces for the project.
1.2 Project Background
The focus of this project is mainly on the automotive visualization display or an infotainment system needed in a vehicle. The literal meaning of infotainment can be described as a broadcast material which is intended both to entertain and to inform. So, in this project a system is going to be made to comply the needed of the driver or user in getting the information and the condition of the vehicle itself. The additional feature that are going to be use in the project is the completed system are going to be connected with a 4-inch Liquid-Crystal Display LCD touch screen mounted on the vehicle.
Basically, the system in this project will include several features that can be controlled by the digital instrument panel which is the LCD touch screen. The system consists of several different information that going to tell the condition of the vehicle. The first feature might be the simplest by usually needed to tell drivers the capacity of the vehicle’s battery. The capacity of the battery is display on the LCD to inform drivers or users the condition of the battery itself. Next, the project will also include the battery temperature display along with the vehicles speed. As we all might know, temperature of the battery increases when the speed of the vehicle increase. This will help drivers to have better monitoring process on the battery and the vehicles health during driving.
Lastly, the project will also be having an ON and OFF switching button by using the LCD touch screen. When the key inserted, the display will light up and the ON and OFF switching button is display. When drivers press the button, the motor engine of the vehicle will start up. The display will start to show other information and the vehicle condition as stated above. All the features are going to be connected into one main microcontroller and controlled the system through the LCD touch screen by only a single touch.
1.3 Problem Statement
As we all know, LCD touch screen features are mainly used nowadays in many of the vehicles produce. Electrical vehicle always come with various features such as the automotive visualization display. The system is easily to use and understand by drivers and users and give a big help to in term of not losing focus and avoiding accidents. But for the small electric vehicle that are produce for small commercialize used, the lack of the system is quite desirable. As in the usage of E-Beca, the features provided are limited and small in size. The display only shows a simple reading of the speed of the vehicle only. Because it is an electrical vehicle and small in size, such as a buggy car or an electric beca, less features are provided because of the lack of room and space.
With less features provided in this small vehicle, it frequently gives drivers or users a hard time in estimating the performances and conditions of the vehicle itself. While an electric vehicle mainly used battery as the main supply for the system, the capacity of the battery should be visible clearly to see by drivers. It will surely give assurance to drivers to know the limit of their driving without being worried about sudden interruptions during the journey. They also could monitor the performances of the motor engine while driving and correlated the with the vehicles temperature. These will help drivers to have better driving experience with less worried although it is just a small electric vehicle. Because all live matter.
1.4 Objective
The objectives of this project are:
- To develop microcontroller based hardware for an automotive visualization display.
- To write programming algorithm for small electric vehicle infotainment.
- To create a START up button using the touch screen control panel.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
In this project, the scope will be mainly focusing on small electric vehicle such as a buggy car or an electric beca. In order to continue with the project, an old electric vehicle should be fix and make sure it can operate well. From the result of the repairing process, the project can be proceeded in focusing more on creating the systems one by one.
The systems will be connected all together into one brain or a microcontroller and mounted to the vehicle. The systems will include an ON and OFF switching start up button, a circuit that help to show the capacity of the battery as it is mainly the sole supply used in order for the vehicle to move around. While also the temperature monitoring for the battery based on the speed of the vehicle.
This project also has some limitation that might affected the process. The cost of production might be high if many components are being used in the whole system. Consideration should be made depending on the cost when buying components for the project. With the small cost for production, only small or urban electric vehicle can be used. Bigger production of electric vehicle cannot be used as it may burst the expenditure. With smaller project, the results might be different compared to the other typical electric vehicle.
1.6 Report Organization
This report will be divided into five chapters that start with Chapter 1 and end till Chapter 5. In chapter 1, an overview of how the research has been conducted is explained. This chapter also include in detail about the problem statement of the project, objectives and the scope of the project. The problem statement tells us about the problem that happen nowadays that are correlated with the project and given the solution for the problem. The objectives will be stating the aims that have to be achieve in this project. While the scope of the project is telling us about the focus and the limitation of this project.
Next, in chapter 2 shows the review of the previous research works conducted by other researchers that correlated with this project. All the relevant researches that were taken from several technical papers, journals and books are discussed in detail.
Chapter 3 shares the methodology used during the project happen. It will tell us in story of the techniques and the algorithms that are used in this project. It will also give us an overview of the general process flow of the project in detail.
While in chapter 4, results of processes of the project being handled are being explained in detail. The output and outcome for each process is displayed and explained properly in this chapter. There are also be given discussions and data analysis based on the result obtained from this project.
Lastly, chapter 5 will concludes the entire thesis and project based on the outcome. There are also some recommendations included in order to improve this project for the next research that might be done. It will also be stated whether all the objectives of this project have been achieved or not.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Throughout this chapter, discussion will be made about several parts that are related to this project. The discussion written are taken from the previous research and studies made from several journals based on their outcomes and difficulties. We will see them in several divided parts that are explained in detail.
2.2 Small/Urban Electric Vehicle
In the mid-19th century, the first electric vehicle made it appearance. But later electric vehicle met its declination when the internal combustion engine was invented because of the high cost for production, low top speed and short range of battery capacity compared to the newer created vehicle. While at the beginning of the 21st century, electric and other alternative fuel vehicles had regained huge interest because of the growing concern over the massive problems with the environment such as hydrocarbon waste emissions and etc.[1]. The improvements in the technology of electric vehicle was also one of the contribution that make this vehicle regain its popularity. Until September 2016, the sales of all electric cars and utility vans had reached 1 million units that were delivered worldwide since 2010.
NB – See updated figures here.
Many researchers and companies are putting efforts in developing urban or small electric vehicles due to the increasing demand for more efficient transportation system in term of both energy saving and environmental friendly[2]. The specialties of the urban electric vehicles are small, light and usually allow one or two people to transport at a time. Depending on different electrical power source such as the number of electric motor for propulsion that fed by continuous voltage source can differ the many types of urban electric vehicles.
The popularity of internal combustion engines cannot be outdone by the urban electrical vehicles in any matter. Some of the big reasons are the low autonomy of urban electric vehicles and supply difficulties to charge and recharge the vehicles itself. While there are also small reasons that contribute in effecting the growing process of the urban electric vehicles such as robustness, efficiency of the vehicle, size and comfort of the product, safety and cost of production[3]. All these problems and difficulties can only be covered with the advancement in various technologies area such as battery management, energy storage, power electronics and controller, regenerative braking, motors and others.
By learning more in depth about design and development of electric cars could motivate engineering students, mechanical and electrical, in focusing more to their formation in power electronics[4]. While students are trying their best to learn these valuable skills, many countries are taking part in improving the electric vehicle move. The causes of climate change due to massive amount of internal combustion engines sparked the light for all these countries to take mitigation measures. But these efforts might be seen as vain as the air with the lack of public charging infrastructures[5]. By putting little efforts in expanding the technologies of this small industries of urban electric vehicles might give big effects on the rise of the popularity and help to improve the environment and energy sources.
2.3 Controller
Possibilities in creating the system for this project by combining different small circuits into one main controller to act as the brain of the system breaks into three. As there are many different types of controller can be use in this project, small selection has to be done in order to see the suitability and advantages of the combinations. People are all familiar with the concept of computer or laptop. The computers are the general purpose, in completing different things at different times depending on the program and application that are being use. But in the middle part of the computers lay the brain of the system called as microprocessor, a complicated electronic circuit that act as the main controller[6]. The choices available are the Advanced RISC Machine controller (ARM), Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC) and ARDUINO controller. All these controllers may have their own advantages and disadvantages that could contribute to the whole complete system, so great attention is given in choosing the best controller to be used in this project.
The ARM controller was first founded by a company named as ACORN Company that later changed their name to ARM Holdings. As the ARM controller are the acronym for Advanced RISC Machine, it holds another meaning for the RISC words itself. The RISC means Reduced Instruction Set Computer and act as the “back to basics” move from the CISC approach which was Complex Instruction Set Computer that could execute the codes and instructions faster[6]. The RISC are created so they can operate in a faster speed, performing extra millions code and instructions per second. ARM controller produced in 32-bit and 64-bit RISC multi-core processors. By throwing out unnecessary instructions or codes and optimizing the pathways, the processors produce an outstanding performance compared to CISC. Smart phones or tablets and other mobile devices are commonly using the ARM controller. The lower power consumed and smaller size reduced difficulty of ARM controller make it sustainable as the popular miniature devices[7]. While it is a fact that this controller only consumed low power during processing happen. Some of the big mobile devices companies are widely using the ARM controller for example the Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics and also NVIDIA. This shows that the ARM controller has its own credibility in acting as the brain of a system.
While the next choice to choose from is the PIC controller. It is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a large range if tasks. In the early days of the PIC controller production, the only had read-only memory which what we call as ROM or field-programmable EPROM used for program storage and may provide the work in erasing memory. But in the newer production, the PIC allows to reprogram itself and use flash memory as their program storage. They divided the devices between the program memory and data memory separately. Program memory may vary in bit-count based on the PIC family, such as 12, 14, 16, 24 bits long. While Data memory provide the highest bit of 32-bit wide with smaller selection which are 8-bit and 16-bit[8]. It is easy to use the PIC controller family as they are mainly produced by the MikroElectronika Inc. which usually will provided their own programming software that are really easy to use and understand. The programming or coding can be compiled by using assemblers and C/C++ compilers in the simplest C language. This controller is one of the best controller for low cost development programmers that are available for high-production programs.
Lastly in consideration for this project is the Arduino controller. Arduino is based on easy to use software and hardware of an open source electronics platform. This type of controller can read inputs provided and turn them to outputs such as activating a motor or turning on a LED. We can create instructions and sent them to the microcontroller easily[9]. But there is the need of the software application which can be easily done by using the Arduino programming language, based on Wiring, and the Arduino Software, based on Processing. Ivrea Design Institute was the one that created the Arduino microcontroller as an easy tool in prototyping that focusing on students without any electronics background. But as soon as it became popular, the start to challenge themselves and adapt to new demands. Arduino microcontroller is also targeted to be more commercialized as a company when they run on Mac, Windows and also Linux. The controller can be easily obtained with inexpensive prices while they provision on cross-platform. They are simple to use with clear programming environment[10].
2.4 Battery
As the world keep moving forward throughout the years, the technologies also expanded. Batteries manufacturer had produced their very own version of batteries to compete in the business. Variable types of battery are available nowadays with various range of power supply.
Figure 1: Specific energy and power of main battery technologies
2.4.1 Lead acid battery
This was the first known type of rechargeable battery. The battery is a combination of lead, lead dioxide and electrolyte composed of sulfuric acid and water. This type of battery has quite low specific energy (refer Figure 1), that are typically between 20 and 40 Wh/kg[11]. If this type of battery compared to the Lithium-ion batteries, with the range of 200km would necessitate more than 500kg of lead acid cells while only150kg with Lithium-ion batteries. The life span of lead acid battery also does not contribute in this selection as it has shorter life span compared to other batteries. The advantages of the lead acid battery are it is low cost, high power and easy to recycle back. But the drawback of this type of battery is the usable capacity will decrease when it is discharging high power[12]. With its small potential for improvement and growing, plus its low-cost price, lead acid battery is one appropriate battery for a small range neighborhood electric vehicles with low performance[13].
2.4.2 Nickel Metal Hydride battery (Ni-MH)
The first commercialized Ni-MH battery was in the year of 1990 through Japan. This type of battery consists of positive nickel hydroxide, negative metal hydride and nylon separator sheet. The electrode that accommodate active materials required in the battery chemistry while the separator sheets accommodate porous structures, and their pores are filled with concentrated KOH solution act as the electrolyte[12]. Ni-MH battery has many advantages such as outstanding energy density, minimal memory effect and low self-discharge rate. They are also relatively low price, better thermal stability and also environmental friendly[13]. But Ni-MH also cannot run from any drawbacks. Ni-MH has twice less specific energy compared to Li-ion batteries that will affect their application on power train. Moreover, this battery will generate heat during fast charging while the safety, performance and longevity of the battery may be affected by the high-load discharge[12].
2.4.3 Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion)
The element of lithium is the lightest of all metal. So, it means that it has the biggest electrochemical potential and a low equivalent mass. Therefore, it might provide the largest specific energy per weight. In the year of 1985, Dr. Yoshino had created the first commercially accepted Li-ion batteries with safety tested. By producing a rechargeable Li-ion battery prototype using lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode and carbon on the anode side causing it to eliminate metallic lithium[12]. This improve the safety of the battery significantly while also provide a practical energy output at an affordable price. Li-ion batteries has high efficiency and a longer life span. Potential improvement in this type of battery are huge and high[13]. The characteristics of Li-ion batteries are high energy and power density. It is also less affected by memory effect compared with other types. With its specialty in rapid charging and low self-discharge makes this battery a better candidate to assist a sustainable mobility for EVs and UEVs
2.4.4 Sodium Nickel Chloride battery
Sodium Nickel Chloride battery uses molten sodium tetrachloroaluminate with a melting point at 157oC as the electrolyte. The positive electrode used in this battery is nickel in discharged state while nickel chloride in the charged state. The other side of the battery which is the negative electrode used molten sodium. This technology gives a lot of advantages. The battery is considered safe and low in cost. It has a long cycle life and can be discharged near to complete without degrading the battery life expectancy. However, the specific power of this battery (150Wh/kg) is much lower compared to the Li-ion batteries (120Wh/kg).
2.5 Automotive Visualization Display (Touch Screen LCD)
In the increment and expansion of the technologies in the automotive industries, had contribute in many sectors that give positive changes such as in reducing fuel consuming and air pollution through the creation of electric vehicles. They also come with the sophisticated electronic systems that are associated in-vehicle’s infrastructure of communication, driving assistance, predictive diagnostics and infotainment[14]. In most of the newest vehicles, analog cluster to show condition or performance of the vehicle is being changed with a digital cluster that contain the graphical processing unit and display device[15]. The displayer will gather all the data from the controller of the system that are running on the vehicle and display them on the screen such as the speed and the battery capacity of the vehicle itself.
Figure 2: Block diagram of the system.
In a research done by M. Prathyusha, K. S. Roy and Mahaboob Ali Shaik, the project on developing a wheelchair for physically challenged by integrating voice and touch screen based instruction, are using Arduino as the controller that was connected with the system (Figure 2). The dual input type of the wheelchair was made to work based on the commands that received from the voice or touch screen. The Arduino controller along with a motor driver that used to control and drive the two motors. When focusing more on the touch screen feature, the output that commonly produce by the touch screen is analog in nature. So, on order to digitize the output signal from the touch screen, an in-built six channel ADC of the Arduino controller was used. On receiving the signal, the controller sent instructions to the motors through the control circuit. The speed of the motors is controlled by using the PWM output pins from the controller was written in Arduino coding[16].
The touch screen used was a 4-wire analog resistive touch screen. When the screen was touch at one point, the x and y axis formed resistance between both of the edges. While the touches were moving across the screen, the changes in resistance between the opposite sides of each axis happened. By doing this, it will result in a change of voltage. Therefore, a microcontroller with a simple ADC can be used in order to find x and positions[17]. By applying 5V across the two of the pins and converts the analog signal to digital signal on the other two pins, readings were taken. The full position of X and Y can be achieved by only using 4 GPIOs.
2.6 Sensors
In this project, sensors are going to be use for collecting data in order to display them on the screen. The speed of the vehicle and also the vehicle temperature will be monitor by collecting the data by using sensors. Below shows the sensor use in this project and explaining them in detail.
2.6.1 Speed Sensor
There are multiple types of different sensors that mostly are used in a number of vehicle systems. Most of the modern vehicles use multiplexing so they can share speed information between the modules in the vehicles. The newer vehicle speed sensors are using the permanent magnet type, that the function is quite similar to the camshaft and crankshaft sensor. This sensor can either be mounted at the transmission case or at the rear differential assembly. Those that mounted at the transmission are usually a gear driven while the one that mounted at the rear differential function by using trigger wheel that is mounted with the ring gear[18]. But both styles of the sensors carried the same task. To displays the speed of the vehicle, manufactures usually use a speed meter. A speed meter or what we call the speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of the vehicle. Nowadays, the speedometer is usually crafted in the electronic mode. The speed is typically displayed in analog-style needle or a digital display after a computer converts the pulses[19]. With the pulses, other systems can also work with the data. The pulses can be used in triggering the Anti Braking System (ABS), calculating the average trip speed and more.
2.6.2 Temperature Sensor
The temperature sensor keeps tab on the operating temperature and give warning to the car computer or controller when they detect a potential problem. In most vehicles, the coolant temperature sensor (CST) can easily be found somewhere near the thermostat which will help them to work optimally[20]. This sensor will work by measuring the temperature produce that is being given off by the coolant or the thermostat itself. The data collected will be sent to the vehicle control system. From there, the controller will use the data collected to either adjust certain engine functions or continue operating as it is. The sensor will always be working to keep checking the engine temperature at the ideal level. But one of the problem with sensors, they can be broken throughout the time. Visual conduct and inspection can be made if the skill is there, but if not, it can be easily detected when either the temperature gauge got to high of the Check Engine symbol light up[21].
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
In chapter 3, details in research of the study flow will be discuss. All the methodology uses in this whole project, the expected results and outcomes from the process will be explain. This chapter will also include the flow chart of the whole methodology process for better understanding. These information’s are needed to make as the guideline for the project to be in the right lane. The methodology use throughout this project might change a little bit depending on the problems and outcomes might faces. Changes need to be made in order to gain a better and compatible result for the system.
3.2 General flow of the Project
3.2.1 Project selection
During this phase, discussion is being made between the student and supervisor. The supervisor was selected after confirmation from both side. Projects are being discuss and review properly based on the capability and understanding of the student. After discussion, one project is selected agreed by both the student and the supervisor.
3.2.2 Project discussion
Throughout project discussion, ideas and opinions are being shared through brainstorming process with the supervisor. Supervisor will give suggestions and opinions on the project for the student to make the final choice. After discussion, the expected outcomes and results are made as the goal in completing the project.
3.2.3 Title project presentation
In this phase, presentation is being proposed by the student about the idea of the project selected. The proposal will include details on the project, objectives of the project and the expected outcomes in front of several panels. Panels will make their decision whether the project is passed to proceed or adjustment should be make.
3.2.4 Research and technical report
Research is conducted by student that related with the project to get more understanding about the area. Journals, books and articles are collected and reviewed by student. These collections will be used for the report in the literature review section. Literature review is reading and revision made by student from the previous research that had been done.
3.2.5 Circuit and components research
In this part, components that will be used are being reviewed by students in order to get the most suitable type to use in the project. Consideration should be made in different area throughout this process based on the compatibility for the system, the functionality and cost of the product. Discussion should be made with the supervisor for better selection.
3.2.6 Circuit simulation
After all the components are properly selected and reviewed, circuit can be made based on the system wanted. All the system should be connected together into one controller to make one complete system, Simulation should be made and tested on the circuit.
#2018-5-14-1526314601