Functional description

Accelerator pedal position is monitored separately by 2 individual sensors. Two sensors are employed to provide redundancy, implement the monitoring function and facilitate recognition of malfunctions.

The sensors register accelerator-pedal travel as angular deflection, with data being transmitted directly to the engine-management control unit as analogue linear voltage curves for pedal angle (°). Overall pedal travel is mechanically expressed as 16° ±0.5°.

Each change in accelerator-pedal position is transmitted to the engine-management control unit with a maximum lag of 50 milliseconds. Sensor signals are transmitted in analogue form. The engine-management control unit monitors the two input signals from the sensors and compares them for plausibility (factors such as mutual synchronicity, linearity, etc.).

Fig 1: Identifying Accelerator Pedal Components

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Spring elements retract the accelerator pedal to its initial position when it is released.