ARS Overview

A manual transmission is more widely used on an international scale in comparison to the automatic transmission. However, standard transmissions are much harder to operate compared to automatic transmissions.  The most important difference in operating a manual transmission in comparison to an automatic transmission is that the driver needs to shift gears based on the required speed. This is operated with the use of clutch pedal to engage and disengage the engine and transmission as well a gear stick used to control the shifter linkage for selecting gears.  When the driver depresses the clutch pedal, the clutch plate is disengaged causing the engine and the transmission to separate.  At this time the driver shifts the gear according to the necessary driving conditions. During the time interval when the driver releases the brake pedal to apply the gas pedal, vehicles with a manual transmission tend to roll backwards or forward depending on the direction of the slope. This unintended backward or forward motion may cause damage to vehicles or even personal injuries.  In addition, the driver may stall the vehicle, causing a disruption in the traffic flow.  In order to prevent these unintended rolling motions, the Anti-Rollback System (ARS) is proposed.

Theory behind ARS

The concept behind creating an ARS is to produce a cost effective and simple system to eliminate vehicle roll when the driver of a manual vehicle resumes motion.  ARS maintains brake pressure for the driver without the need of the brake pedal being depressed while transitioning from the brake pedal to the gas pedal.  The system is designed only to be active while the vehicle has zero velocity with the clutch fully depressed.  The systems dependency for deactivation relies on the motion of the clutch pedal.  The system is designed to gather these inputs and with the use of a microcontroller unit, the decision to activate ARS is made when the conditions are satisfied.  

 Why might you need ARS?

Safety features are vital when designing a vehicle but most vehicles are not factory equipped with a rollback prevention system and most vehicles do not have the option to add the feature at the time of purchase.  Thus, the purpose of ARS is to provide an aftermarket system for drivers interested in installing ARS as a safety feature.  As already mentioned, vehicles with a manual transmission have their tendency to roll while on slopes.  Many drivers may react differently in the same situation when resuming motion and may react differently and some may have better control over a manual vehicle than others.  With added traffic and noise distractions, the driver may lose concentration and thus ARS will assist in preventing rollback accidents.

ARS may also appeal to new drivers or drivers new to manual transmissions that are interested in learning the operation of a manual transmission.  When learning to operate a manual vehicle, one of the greatest challenges is to resume motion without stalling the vehicle.  With added rollback on slopes, new operators need to learn how to control the vehicle via clutch, brake and gas pedal reaction times.  With the addition of ARS, much of the stress of preventing loss of control over the vehicle is eliminated.