GM has filed a patent for a new system that will detect if a vehicle’s wheel alignment specs are within certain values, and will notify the vehicle owner if they fall outside a predetermined value.
The new GM patent application has been assigned patent number US 2023/0288195 A1 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and was published on September 14th, 2023. The patent was originally filed on March 10th, 2022, and lists two U.S.-based engineers as the inventors, including Akilesh Rajavenkatanarayanan and Ke Liu.
The patent describes a system composed of a plurality of sensors and a controller, with the sensors configured to send a signal to the controller and the controller configured to detect an external force exerted on the vehicle based on the sensor signals.
Using these inputs, the controller will then determine if an external force exerted on the vehicle has a magnitude that is between two pre-determined values. If the controller detects that the force is within a certain range, the vehicle will send an alert to the driver that a wheel alignment check should be performed.
Keeping your vehicle’s wheel alignment within the proper spec is important to extend the life of the vehicle tires, as an improperly aligned wheel may wear a tire unevenly. Additionally, proper alignment is important in maximizing the performance of a vehicle, although this particular system does not seem to be focused on the performance side of things.
With systems in place to automatically detect under-inflated tires, an automatic wheel alignment detection system seems like it would also serve as a useful feature. What’s more, the system could be used to ensure that wheels are within spec on autonomous vehicles to extend the life of the onboard equipment to the maximum possible level.
For those readers who may have missed it, other recent GM patents include a system that estimates EV energy consumption while off-roading, as well as an aroma-based in-vehicle notification system.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more GM patent filing news, GM technology news, GM business news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
“The patent describes a system composed of a plurality of sensors and a controller”
Translated: more over-engineering to go wrong!
“This particular system does not seem to be focused on the performance side of things.”
Something will need to keep people coming back to the dealerships, when the utopia of electrics is here and we’re not stopping in regularly for oil changes. Just DO NOT follow the model of certain German-based makes, where you always have a light on for something and are scheduling appointments for that.
HAL: “Dave…My sensors indicate I’m not being straight with you.”
More useless garbage to further complicate your vehicle. Most vehicles don’t go out of alignment unless you wreck them, jump curbs, or hit huge potholes. If your tires are not wearing evenly, get your alignment checked or have it checked when you get new tires.
Another electronic feature that can wrong down the road. I do not need this or want this. I can tell when my vehicle is out of alignment. Here is a suggestion GM, why not concentrate on perfecting the electronic crap what you already have on your existing vehicles?
My guess is this is likely to be used on high-end off-road capable vehicles and not your commuter friendly TRAX..
They should get rid of TPMS. Other drivers tell me when I’m driving on a flat tire.