Hybrid Wireless Harness for Low Mass Vehicular Applications

To reduce vehicular mass, Bluetooth-compliant wireless signals are used to replace electrical signal wires in the interconnection of automobile components and modules. A hybrid concept, consisting of wired "clusters" of automobile components and wireless inter-cluster connections, is used. Initial implementation used switches and lamps to simulate automotive sensors and transducers. Current prototype uses dash panel, rear lamp, and other sutomobile assemblies to replace the switches and lamps. Ongoing work include a re-structuring of the software to function as a layer under a Controller Area Network (CAN) so as to provide a transparent migration of existing CAN applications to run on a wireless layer. Computer models are also being developed to provide extensive studies of the performance, reliability, and security implications of such automotive wireless applications. Additionally there are plans to replace Bluetooth signals (IEEE 802.15.1) with Ultra Wideband signals (IEEE 802.15.3).