Stability Control Sensors

The RCM inertial signals consist of the yaw rate sensor and lateral accelerometer. The RCM is usually mounted as close as possible to the center point of the vehicle to get the most accurate readings. Information from the RCM sensors is sent to the ABS module over a dedicated Controller Area Network (CAN) bus.

• The yaw rate sensor measures the relative vehicle motion about the vertical axis through its center of gravity.
• The lateral accelerometer measures the acceleration that corresponds to the force involved when the vehicle moves sideways.

Lateral acceleration has 2 forms. The first is the centrifugal acceleration that is generated when the vehicle travels around in a circle. The second is the acceleration due to gravity. On level ground there is no contribution from this acceleration. However, if the vehicle is parked sideways on a bank or incline, the sensor measures some lateral acceleration due to gravity, even though the vehicle is not moving.