Automated systems in transport

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. In an automated transport system, what makes the decision after receiving data from the sensors?

A The microprocessor

B The actuator

2. Which part of a driverless car physically applies the brakes?

A An actuator

B A sensor

3. A driverless train needs to detect an obstacle on the track ahead. Which sensors suit this job?

A Moisture or pH sensors

B Proximity or infra-red sensors

4. Parking sensors beep faster as a car gets closer to a wall. What are the sensors measuring?

A The distance to the object

B The temperature of the object

5. True or false: In an automated transport system, a driver must control every single action.

A True

B False

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1if distance < 2 then brake()		Aif rearDistance < 30 then beep()
2if carWaiting then lights = GREEN		BAn automatic traffic light uses a sensor to detect a waiting vehicle and the microprocessor changes the signal.
3Parking sensors measure how far away an obstacle is and warn the driver when the car gets too close.		CThe microprocessor compares the proximity sensor reading with a stored value and makes the braking actuator slow the vehicle when an obstacle is too close.
4A driverless train uses an infra-red sensor to detect an obstacle on the track and stops the train.		DWrong: the microprocessor can only act on data. Sensors are needed to capture information about obstacles, the road and other vehicles.
5A driverless car needs no sensors because the microprocessor already knows where every obstacle is.		Eif infraRed = OBSTACLE then stopTrain()
6The brakes are the sensor that detects a obstacle and sends data to the microprocessor.		FWrong: brakes are an actuator that act on the microprocessor's output. A proximity or infra-red sensor detects the obstacle.

Definitions

automated transport system

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

distance ← readProximity() IF distance < 10 THEN ___________() ENDIF

IF obstacle _ TRUE THEN stopTrain() ENDIF

IF carWaiting = TRUE THEN ___________("GREEN") ENDIF

rearDistance ← readParkingSensor() IF ____________ < 30 THEN soundBuzzer() ENDIF

_____ journeyActive = TRUE stopIfObstacle() ENDWHILE

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A WHILE car_is_moving

B WRITE distance TO front_sensor

C IF distance < 5 THEN

D brake ← ON

E ENDIF

F ENDWHILE

Question 2

A WHILE TRUE

B cars ← READ(road_sensor)

C IF cars > 0 THEN

D GREEN ← light

E ENDIF

F ENDWHILE

Question 3

A distance ← READ(buzzer)

B IF distance < 30 THEN

C buzzer ← ON

D ENDIF

Question 4

A obstacle ← READ(infra_red)

B IF obstacle = TRUE THEN

C brake ← ON

D speed ← 100

E ENDIF

Question 5

A IF engine = ON

B gap ← READ(proximity)

C IF gap < 10 THEN

D brake ← ON

E ENDIF

F ENDWHILE

Answer Key

Automated systems in transport

Section A: Quick Questions

A — The microprocessor

A — An actuator

B — Proximity or infra-red sensors

A — The distance to the object

B — False

Section B: Match the Pairs

if distance < 2 then brake() → The microprocessor compares the proximity sensor reading with a stored value and makes the braking actuator slow the vehicle when an obstacle is too close.

if carWaiting then lights = GREEN → An automatic traffic light uses a sensor to detect a waiting vehicle and the microprocessor changes the signal.

Parking sensors measure how far away an obstacle is and warn the driver when the car gets too close. → if rearDistance < 30 then beep()

A driverless train uses an infra-red sensor to detect an obstacle on the track and stops the train. → if infraRed = OBSTACLE then stopTrain()

A driverless car needs no sensors because the microprocessor already knows where every obstacle is. → Wrong: the microprocessor can only act on data. Sensors are needed to capture information about obstacles, the road and other vehicles.

The brakes are the sensor that detects a obstacle and sends data to the microprocessor. → Wrong: brakes are an actuator that act on the microprocessor's output. A proximity or infra-red sensor detects the obstacle.

Section C: Definitions

automated transport system — A vehicle or traffic system where sensors send data to a microprocessor, which controls actuators to steer, brake or signal without a driver controlling every action.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

distance ← readProximity()
IF distance < 10 THEN applyBrakes()
ENDIF

IF obstacle = TRUE THEN
    stopTrain()
ENDIF

IF carWaiting = TRUE THEN
    changeLight("GREEN")
ENDIF

rearDistance ← readParkingSensor()
IF rearDistance < 30 THEN soundBuzzer()
ENDIF

WHILE journeyActive = TRUE
    stopIfObstacle()
ENDWHILE

Section E: Spot the Error

B — A sensor is an input device, so the microprocessor must READ the distance from it. It cannot write to it. The line should be distance ← READ(front_sensor).

D — In pseudocode assignment the variable goes on the left and the value on the right. The line should be light ← GREEN so the traffic light actuator is set to green.

A — Parking distance comes from a sensor. A buzzer is an output device (actuator) and cannot be read for distance. It should be READ(rear_sensor).

D — When the infra-red sensor detects an obstacle the train must stop. Setting the speed to 100 makes it go faster. It should be speed ← 0.

A — The system must keep checking the proximity sensor all the time the engine is on, so it needs a WHILE loop. It should be WHILE engine = ON to match ENDWHILE.