GM Files Patent for Suspension Failure Detection System

As reported by GM Authority, General Motors (“GM”) has filed a patent application for a “Vehicle Detection and Isolation System for Detecting Spring and Stabilizing Bar Associated Degradation and Failures” (the “System”), which is designed to identify suspension failure on a vehicle.
The System is compatible with both human-piloted passenger vehicles and autonomous robo-taxis. It incorporates an inertial measurement module and a suspension fault detection module, which work in tandem to collect data from a range of sensors and leverage the data to determine whether a fault exists in the suspension, isolate and identify the fault and perform appropriate countermeasures.
Countermeasures include reducing vehicle speed, limiting travel distance, stopping the vehicle and autonomously navigating to a repair shop.
The patent application is consistent with GM’s commitment to invest $35 million into new EV and AV technologies by 2025.
Authors: Meghan King and Rebecca Ro, 2021/2022 Articling Student-at-law
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