As of my last update in September 2021, autonomous vehicles typically do not use magnetostrictive systems to convert mechanical vibrations into electricity. Instead, they rely on more common methods of energy generation and storage, such as regenerative braking, solar panels, or traditional internal combustion engines for hybrid vehicles.
However, I can explain how a magnetostrictive system, in general, works to convert mechanical vibrations into electricity.
Magnetostriction is a property exhibited by certain materials that causes them to change their shape or dimensions when subjected to a magnetic field. Conversely, when the material is mechanically stressed or vibrated, it generates a magnetic field due to the magnetostrictive effect. The process can be summarized in the following steps:
Material selection: The system typically uses a magnetostrictive material, such as iron-gallium alloys or Terfenol-D, which have a high magnetostrictive coefficient, meaning they exhibit significant shape changes in response to magnetic fields.
Mechanical vibrations: The magnetostrictive material is subjected to mechanical vibrations or stress. These vibrations can come from various sources, such as road-induced vibrations in the case of an autonomous vehicle.
Magnetic field generation: As the material experiences the mechanical vibrations, it undergoes periodic changes in shape, resulting in the generation of a magnetic field around the material.
Induction of electricity: This changing magnetic field induces an electric current in nearby conductive coils or windings, following Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. The induced current can then be harnessed and used to charge batteries or power electrical components in the system.
It's worth noting that while magnetostrictive materials have interesting properties for converting mechanical energy into electricity, they are not commonly used in autonomous vehicles for this purpose. Other energy harvesting methods, like regenerative braking or solar panels, have been more widely adopted due to their practicality and efficiency in capturing and storing energy for vehicle use.