Hi Russell,

Thank you for your post! I absolutely agree with you 100%. I will start by saying this project is my graduate thesis project for my Masters in Mfg. Engineering. I got my B.S. in Mech. Eng. so all this embedded systems business is new to me...although I'm sure that's obvious to you experts ;-) Second, and most importantly, this system is NOT being used on an automobile.

Unlike a traditional ABS system for hydraulic brakes that has multiple modulator valves, sensors, etc. this sytem does not. Without giving too much away, this system and application does not utilize any hydraulic components. With the exception of some square tooth tone rings (aka sensor rings) that I've CNC machined, all control and feedback is strictly electrical. To the best of my knowledge, this system is the first of its kind.

That's not to say electrical components do not fail, I have seen them fail when working with PLC control systems for industrial equipment. This first design is strictly a proof-of-concept and is not automobile related, nor will it ever see a public road. Regardless, safety is always priority number one and all precautions are being taken. In the event of a failure, a redundant mechanical system IS in place and the software "fault detection" scheme that you described will also be utilized as the system design progresses.

I have also built a benchtop testing rig that essentially mimics the real-life application so I can do most of my testing and debugging without ever leaving the lab. It's no substitute for the real-world but it will help expose any obvious flaws before taking the testing full scale.

Safety is ALWAYS the number one priority and believe me, my advisors wouldn't have it any other way! :-)

Thank you all again very much for your time,
Brian