How to solve the vibration of the Electric Pedal? — An example of Aidriver controller ECU software modification
As shown in the video below, the Electric Pedal of an SUV vibrates at its end when extended or retracted. I wonder if anyone has encountered this before. After the board is fully extended, there is a rapid, slight retraction that causes the vibration. The vibration is very slight and short-lived, and you might not notice it unless you are paying close attention. However, this vibration at the end of the electric running board impacts the motor and mechanical structure, which can affect the lifespan of the running board system.
This video is from when we were customizing an electric pedal ECU for a client. They had about seven different brackets. Because we had implemented self-learning, soft-start, and soft-stop functions in the software, the pedals started and stopped smoothly with minimal noise. However, only this particular bracket exhibited significant vibration when extended to its final position. The client analyzed that this was a structural issue with the bracket. Since the bracket was custom-made, modifying the mold was currently quite complicated and costly. Therefore, the client contacted us to see if the problem could be solved through software adjustments.
To this end, we collected and analyzed the operating data of this electric pedal bracket, including its motion trajectory, motor force, and current. We then optimized the software for this bracket, attempting to correct its mechanical structural defects. The following video shows the effect after the correction:
As you can see, the correction is quite significant; the jitter is almost gone after optimization.
After completing the corrections, we specifically spoke with the client's technical lead about why they were so concerned about this vibration. He explained that in an era of increasingly feature-rich and homogenized products, even minute vibration details can be the difference between a product and others, and can even determine its lifespan. We wholeheartedly agree, and this is a common practice for the Aidriver team when developing ECUs.
What other problems have you encountered in this type of situation? Feel free to share them with us.
