I want to add a front distance sensor to my car. There are many wired options on the market, but they require drilling holes into the bumper, which would void my car’s warranty.
So, I’m thinking of building a slim, wireless sensor that can run on a coin battery for at least six months.
I’m considering using a slim time-of-flight sensor that can detect distances of 30 cm or less. I would attach it to the front license plate.
Inside the car, I’ll place an Arduino with a buzzer. I’m still unsure about the best communication method between the two devices maybe 433 MHz radio, since I want to keep the cost low.
Unfortunately there is no space for it in my bumper.
I was thinking of putting the device on the upper side of the plate, then I noticed the Radar is near it, and I guess it will make some problems if I used radio waves.
So I guess best option is to put it where the yellow line is, and make it wired.
I think you'll have problems with these design rules. Anything wirelless is power hungry when trasmitting data.
If I were to do what you want, my first attempt would be a pair of small ESP32s (like C3 mini) using ESP-NOW protocol. But I don't know if the signal would be ok after crossing all the EMI producing stuff around the engine.
What modern car does not already have that sensor installed at the factory? Perhaps you should thoroughly read your owner's manual first. I have had those kinds of sensors on my vehicles for three vehicles now, going back at least 15 years.
I see dozens of holes the wires could pass through in the car pictured. I would likely come through the grill behind the license plate mount. the sensor itself could be mounted using the 3m double sided tape that is used for mounting emblems.
Actually I would mount the sensor behind the grill pointing through one of the holes in the grill so it would not be noticeable.
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that’s actually brilliant.
