Widespread mechatronisation of intelligent vehicles (IV) began in the 1990s with technologies designed to better vehicle operation as well as human drivers' (HD) and passengers' comfort. These technologies incorporated mechatronic fuel injection to control internal combustion engine (ICE) performance, predominantly to decrease specific fuel consumption (SFC) and vehiclular exhaust emissions (VEE); anti-lock braking systems (ABS), brake-assistant (BA) and electronic stability programme (ESP) to help HDs keep control on slippery roads; and traction and cruise (T&C) control to ease HD monotony during long stretches of driving. Whereas these technologies were pre-dominantly designed at enhancing the facilities of the IV, the latest wave of in-vehicle technology that is most interest to IVs, are the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) designed to betters the competence of the HD. These new control systems comprise HD assistance (simulate her/his thinking and physical actions to operate an IV temporarily during emergencies or for prolonged periods as well as enhance her/his abilityt o sense what's going on the surrounding environment), warning (such as collision avoidance) and information (knowledge of routes and locations), and a variety of other automation technologies.
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