Continental has announced the development of two new specialised sensors aimed at protecting the health of electric vehicle batteries. The Current Sensor Module (CSM) protects the health of the battery while the Battery Impact Detection (BID) system warns of impacts to the battery pack’s protective structure.

Continental says that the BID offers a major advantage in that it allows manufacturers to reduce the weight of the vehicle by eliminating the need for heavy battery protection. EV batteries are generally located under floor which means the vehicle has a low centre of gravity, but also means the battery is vulnerable to damage. 

By detecting impacts BID can warn a driver when damage has occurred and direct them to a garage when required. The pressure sensor-based BID detects and classifies under floor impact events and l also identifies the area of the damage, so the battery management system can empty the cells in that area to prevent any risk of fire. It could even ask a vehicle to adjust suspension height to reduce possibility of multiple impacts. Continental says compared with current metal under floor protection, the BID system can save up to 50% of weight. 

The CSM can measure the current and detect temperature at the same time, providing information to the vehicle’s battery management system. The system protects the battery from overstress by controlling the charging current to limit the temperature gradient.

Horst Gering, Program Manager in the Passive Safety and Sensorics Segment at Continental commented. “A lithium-ion battery has an optimum temperature span in which it is very safe and ages very slowly. However, fast charging the battery is a trade-off between keeping the battery safe and healthy and limiting the duration of charging. This is best done on an exact data basis.”