Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a drive source mounted on a vehicle, a differential device configured to distribute a driving force generated by the drive source to a right drive wheel and a left drive wheel, a speed sensor configured to detect a rotation speed of the drive source, a pair of wheel speed sensors configured to detect rotation speeds of the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel, and a control device configured to set an index value having a value obtained by multiplying the rotation speed of the drive source by a predetermined coefficient in a case that at least one of the pair of wheel speed sensors fails, and to control torque output from the drive source based on the index value.

Abstract: A system for controlling an intelligent network vehicle is provided, and the system comprises a sensor group configured to obtain sensor information; a sensing and positioning module configured to obtain sensing information and positioning information based on the sensor information; a planning and control module configured to determine vehicle planning control information based on the sensing information and the positioning information; a safety control module configured to determine safety control information based on the sensing information and the positioning information; a function assessment module configured to determine a vehicle state assessment result; a risk assessment module configured to determine a risk assessment result; a logical arbitration module configured to determine vehicle execution information by arbitrating the vehicle planning control information and the safety control information; and an execution module configured to control the vehicle driving based on the vehicle execution inform

Abstract: A method for classifying an accident event of a two-wheeled vehicle, in particular a bicycle. The method is able to run as an algorithm on a device having an evaluation unit in order to indicate to the driver of the two-wheeled vehicle or to a third party a collision or fall of the two-wheeled vehicle with the aid of correspondingly generated and/or transmitted information. The device may be used for a two-wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle and in particular for an electric bicycle. The use is naturally also possible for a motorcycle or some other single-track vehicle.

Abstract: A weather drone comprising: a first sensor configured to repeatedly measure one or more parameters indicative of weather; a memory coupled to the first sensor and configured to store data recorded by the first sensor, the data comprising a series of repeatedly measured parameters; and a processor coupled to the first sensor and the memory. The processor is configured to analyse the data as it is being recorded by the first sensor, and determine if the data exceeds a first threshold value and/or falls below a second threshold value. If the processor determines that the data exceeds the first threshold value and/or falls below the second threshold value on at least one occasion, the processor is configured to prevent the storage of further data from the first sensor in the memory.

Abstract: A method for determining an operating state of a vehicle component of a vehicle. The method includes providing a first knowledge graph that contains information concerning a plurality of vehicle components of a vehicle, each vehicle component providing one or more signals. The method includes determining the operating state of a vehicle component from the plurality of vehicle components, the determining including selecting, using the first knowledge graph, a plurality of signals and one or more state parameters that are necessary for determining the operating state of the vehicle component. The determining further includes calculating one or more state parameters of the vehicle component, based on the selected plurality of signals. The determining of the operating state of the vehicle component includes ascertaining the operating state of the vehicle component based on the information contained in the first knowledge graph and based on the calculated one or more state parameters.

Abstract: A computer includes a diagnosis unit configured to, for a vehicle in which an abnormality has occurred and continuing traveling by autonomous driving is impossible, determine whether or not the vehicle is able to be restored on a spot and whether or not the vehicle is able to travel by manual driving. Such a computer may be mounted on a vehicle, a server, and a mobile terminal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a steering control apparatus comprising: a first control unit for controlling a motor to supply a motor torque associated with steering on the basis of a value of a first steering torque; and a second control unit for mutually monitoring operation states with the first control unit via a communication interface and, when an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, controlling the motor, wherein, when the occurrence of an abnormality associated with the operation state of the first control unit is recognized, the second control unit determines whether or not the first control unit or the communication unit is abnormal, on the basis of a value of a second steering torque. According to the present disclosure, a redundant safety mechanism can be implemented without a separate change in a hardware design.

Abstract: An autonomous driving control system, comprising a main control system and a backup control system. The main control system comprises a main control module and main execution modules, and the backup control system comprises a backup control module and backup execution modules; the main control module monitors an operating status of the main control system in real time; the main control module further sends, when detecting that a failure occurs in the main control system, a failure notification to the backup control module, and sends a response termination control instruction to each of the main execution modules, the response termination control instruction being a control instruction for instructing each of the main execution modules not to respond to any control over a vehicle; and the backup control module controls, after receiving the failure notification, the backup execution modules to start to execute a backup control instruction.

Abstract: A control device of an electric power steering device includes an arithmetic processing device having a comparison unit, a failure diagnosis unit, and a drive control unit. The comparison unit compares a difference between a first output signal output from a first sensor and a second output signal output from a second sensor with a first threshold value to determine a magnitude relationship, and compares a difference between the first output signal and a third output signal output from a third sensor with a second threshold value to determine a magnitude relationship. Based on a result of the comparison unit, the failure diagnosis unit identifies one abnormal sensor among the first, second and third sensor. Using output values from two normal sensors that are not identified as abnormal sensors among the first, second and third sensor, the drive control unit generates a drive control signal for driving an electric motor.

Abstract: A management domain unit is connected, via an independent virtual network (95) using a hypervisor unit, to a separate management domain unit (B) (10B) of a separate electronic control unit ECU (B) (1) having the separate management domain unit (B) (10B) and a separate basic domain unit (A) (50B) which substitutes for a basic domain unit. When an abnormality of the basic domain unit is detected, the management domain unit halts operation of the basic domain unit, and causes the separate management domain unit (B) (10B) possessed by the separate electronic control unit ECU (B) (1) to start operation of the separate basic domain unit (A) (50B).

Abstract: A control system for preventing abnormal operation including the storage of execution time input and output values, the storage of normal time read and write information of an address contained in a pre-defined address range, and the determination of abnormality based on comparison between execution time and normal time information.

Abstract: A method, a computer program comprising instructions, and a device for processing sensor data in a motor vehicle. An assistance system for a motor vehicle in which a method is implemented, and a motor vehicle having such a system. Sensor data is received. At least one algorithm is applied to the sensor data to determine a first intermediate result. At least one rule is applied to the first intermediate result to determine a second intermediate result. The second intermediate result is evaluated with regard to plausibility. If the second intermediate result is implausible, one or more of the rules applied to the first intermediate result is reversed until the second intermediate result is plausible. The second intermediate result thereby obtained is finally output as an end result.

Abstract: An in-vehicle system includes a zone control unit and lower-level control units. The zone control unit includes: a power supply control unit configured to control power supply to each of the lower-level control units; a communication control unit configured to control communication with each of the lower-level control units; and an abnormality detection unit configured to detect presence or absence of an abnormality in each of the lower-level control units. In a case in which an abnormality for two or more of elements including a power supply current value, a communication response time, and a MAC address is detected in at least one of the lower-level control units, the abnormality detection unit is configured to recognize that the at least one of the lower-level control units is an unauthorized device.

Abstract: A system and method for compiling and monitoring a list of operational aircraft components to determine if a threshold is met. Utilizing the list and the threshold can provide for monitoring the network of aircraft components to monitor both health and security of the aircraft network and components thereof. The system can then indicate or alert when a threshold is met or exceeded. Such an alert can be on a display to a pilot, for example, or to a remote monitoring station.

Abstract: A traveling control device includes: a peripheral recognition unit which recognizes a status around an own vehicle; an abnormality determination unit which determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the recognition function of the peripheral recognition unit; and a control unit which, if the abnormality determination unit has determined that an abnormality has occurred in the recognition function of the peripheral recognition unit, executes procedure modification control to modify an automatic driving procedure in the automatic driving system in accordance with an abnormality recognition direction which is a direction in which the abnormality in the recognition function has occurred.

Abstract: A method for fault detection is adapted for a vehicle display fault detection system. The vehicle display fault detection system includes a vehicle system and a display system. The method for fault detection includes following steps: detecting whether a first state of the display system is abnormal or not; when the first state is abnormal, the display system is configured to generate a fault detection signal; classifying to generate a control signal according to the fault detection signal; and adjusting the first state of the display system to a second state.

Abstract: In various examples, an integrated circuit includes first and second portions. The first portion includes a timer that starts when the first portion transmits at least one error signal to the second portion. The timer may reset when data corresponding to at least one fault has been cleared from the first portion. The first portion transmits a timeout error signal when the timer indicates at least a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. The second portion receives the at least one error signal and the timeout error signal when the timeout error signal has been sent. The second portion may notify an external system after the timeout error signal is received.

Abstract: A system and a method for a battery power management system for an electric aircraft is disclosed. The system includes at least a flight component of an electric aircraft, at least a battery, wherein the at least a battery is configured power the at least a flight component of the electric aircraft, at least a sensor communicatively connected to the at least a battery and a controller communicatively connected to the at least a sensor. The controller is configured to receive sensor data from the at least a sensor, identify a battery status as a function of the sensor data and a battery threshold, and control the power from the at least a battery to the at least a flight component of the electric aircraft as a function of the battery status, further comprising reducing a torque to the at least a flight component.

Abstract: An electric suspension control, in a vehicle including an electric suspension apparatus driven with a motor, short-circuits the motor and limits a vehicle speed to a predetermined speed or less, in a case where an abnormality occurs in the electric suspension apparatus.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are disclosed of telematics or telecommunication control units (TCUs) modules that includes a TCU and one or more sensor arrays (e.g., mmWave sensors, temperature sensors, ambient light sensors, biometric sensors, cameras, proximity sensors, WiFi, touch sensors, microphones, etc.) for monitoring vehicle interiors (e.g., monitoring health conditions of occupants within a vehicle passenger interior, etc.). In exemplary embodiments, sensors may be combined or integrated with (e.g., embedded within, placed on TCU printed circuit board (PCB), directly connected with, mounted along a bottom or side of, etc.) the TCU.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a rotational speed of at least one wheel of a vehicle, including: a detection device for detecting an angular velocity of the wheel that is correlated to the rotational speed, wherein the detection device is configured to provide an electrical detection signal depending on the angular velocity detected; a first control unit with a first measurement device for measuring the detection signal, wherein the first control unit is electrically joined to the detection device; and a second control unit with a second measurement device for measuring the detection signal, wherein the second control unit is electrically joined to the detection device, wherein the detection device can be electrically switched or is electrically switched between the first measurement device and the second measurement device. Also described is a related method.

Abstract: A vehicle communication device including a processor, wherein the processor: receives first data, and second data that is different from the first data; generates third data based on the received first data and an encryption key; compares the second data and the third data, and authenticates the first data in a case in which the second data and the third data match; and as a result of comparisons that are carried out a plurality of times on receivings that are within a predetermined amount of time after start-up of a vehicle, determines that a case in which the second data and the third data do not match every time is a device abnormal state, and, as a result of the comparisons of the plurality of times, determines that a case that includes matching is a device operating state.

Abstract: A brushless DC electric (BLDC) motor driver circuit includes: a power stage circuit configured to operably drive a brushless DC electric (BLDC) motor according to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; and an abnormality diagnosis circuit, wherein when a first parameter is under control, the abnormality diagnosis circuit is configured to operably determine a rotation abnormality condition of the BLDC motor according to a second parameter; wherein the first parameter and the second parameter are correlated with the rotation of the BLDC motor.

Abstract: A calibration and repair system for advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”) and features is configured to provide secure, automated workflow management related to the calibration of ADAS. Automated workflows include steps and interfaces to aid in preparation of a vehicle for calibration, local-remote collaboration during calibration, customer interactions, workflow and event notification, user authentication, remote system management, and other tasks. The system is also capable of automatically and dynamically adding new and updated calibration specifications that are usable during local-remote collaboration.

Abstract: When a driver is in an abnormal state, a vehicle control device executes a stop control of applying a braking force to a vehicle to stop the vehicle and a stop holding control of holding the vehicle in a stopped state after stopping the vehicle with the stop control. The control device is configured to prohibit the stop holding control from being released, when a first condition that is satisfied when an operation amount of an accelerator operator is larger than a predetermined threshold value is satisfied, while the stop holding control is being executed.

Abstract: A vehicle may have a seat and front wheel similar to those of a bicycle. However, the vehicle may have two rear wheels. The position of the two rear wheels may be adjustable. When the two rear wheels touch each other, the vehicle may function as a bicycle. When they are moved apart, the vehicle may function as a tricycle. In tricycle mode, the vehicle may travel autonomously without a human rider. In bicycle mode, a human may ride the vehicle like a bicycle. To transition between bicycle and tricycle modes, each rear wheel may rotate about a horizontal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In some cases, a bike chain is connected to only one of the rear wheels. In bicycle mode, motion imparted by the chain to one rear wheel may be transferred to the other by friction.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a first control unit and a second control unit each configured to perform travel control of a vehicle based on a recognition result of an external recognition device group configured to obtain external information of the vehicle and a detection result of a vehicle information detection unit configured to obtain state information of an actuator group of the vehicle. In a case in which functional degradation of at least one of the external recognition device group, the actuator group, and the vehicle information detection unit is detected, based on the recognition result and the detection result, the first control unit determines contents of vehicle control in fallback control for restricting a travel control function of the vehicle and determines whether to execute the fallback control by one of the first control unit and the second control unit.

Abstract: A method may include obtaining input information that describes a driving operation of a vehicle and obtaining a rule that indicates an approved driving operation of the vehicle. The method may include parsing the rule using a domain-specific language to generate rule conditions in which the domain-specific language is a programming language that is specifically designed for analyzing driving operations of vehicles. The method may include representing the input information as observations relating to the vehicle in which each of the observations is comparable to one or more of the rules. The method may include comparing the observations to one or more respective comparable rule conditions and generating a grading summary that evaluates how well the observations satisfy the respective comparable rule conditions based on the comparison. A future driving operation of the vehicle may be adjusted based on the grading summary.

Abstract: A method of operating a turbine engine that includes shutting down the turbine engine such that a rotational speed of the turbine engine decreases, and actuating a starter motor of the turbine engine at one of as the rotational speed of the turbine engine decreases or at a preset time after the turbine engine receives a full stop command such that residual heat is exhausted from the turbine engine.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for detecting a vehicle with sensors that are not calibrated properly and calibrating such sensor in real-time. In one example, a method may include iteratively capturing sensor data of a road while the vehicle is travelling on the road; monitoring a calibration of the sensors of the vehicle based on the sensor data, determining that the sensors of the vehicle are not calibrated properly based on the monitoring, generating a calibration target of an object on the road based on the sensor data, and adjusting a calibration parameter of the one or more sensors of the vehicle based on the generated calibration target.

Abstract: A person support apparatus includes a base frame with a plurality of caster wheel assemblies, each of the caster wheel assemblies including a caster brake actuator movable between a total braking position and a non-braking position. A linkage system is coupled to the caster brake actuators for controlling the caster brake actuators and is operable to move the caster brake actuators between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions. The linkage system is configured to compensate for tolerances in the linkage system wherein the linkage system can control the caster brake actuators to simultaneously move between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions.

Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a main control device, a sub-control device, and a temperature detection unit. The main control device includes a recognition unit that recognizes a peripheral situation of a vehicle, a driving control unit that controls steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle independently from an operation of a driver, and a mode determination unit that determines a driving mode of the vehicle. The sub-control device is capable of controlling the vehicle in place of the main control device. The temperature detection unit detects a temperature of a second battery that is different from a first battery supplying power to the main control device and supplies power to the sub-control device. The mode determination unit changes the driving mode of the vehicle from the second driving mode to the first driving mode when a temperature of the second battery is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: [Solution] A driver abnormality determination system includes circuitry configured to detect a driving operation of a driver, detect behavior of the driver's head and motion of eyeballs and/or movement of a sightline of the driver, recognize a driving scene in which the vehicle is driven; a memory that stores a sensor table of a relationship between the driving scene and detected values to be used to determine a driver abnormality; and determine the driver abnormality based on the sensor table, the driving scene, the driving operation and the behavior.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Abstract: A full speed range adaptive cruise control system for a host vehicle includes a plurality of sensors that each generate a signal, a memory that includes executable instructions and a processor that executes the executable instructions. The executable instructions enable the processor to detect a target vehicle as being stopped along a route based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, cause the host vehicle to stop at a distance from the target vehicle, detect the target vehicle moving along the route after the host vehicle has stopped based upon the signals from the plurality of sensors, determine whether a first predetermined period of time has elapsed since the host vehicle has stopped, determine whether a first predetermined condition is satisfied if the first predetermined period of time has elapsed, and cause the host vehicle to move if the system determines that the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A control method of vehicle handling includes determining that a driving state of a vehicle is an understeer state from an electronic stability control, determining a position of an accelerator from an accelerator position sensor in response to determining that the driving state of the vehicle is the understeer state, and controlling a motor torque of a front wheel side of the vehicle to be smaller than a motor torque of a rear wheel side of the vehicle according to the position of the accelerator.

Abstract: A cloud-based industrial controller that controls devices, processes, and other assets of an industrial automation system via control algorithms that execute on a cloud platform is presented. A cloud-based collection component collects information from the industrial automation system via cloud gateways associated with the industrial automation system or extrinsic data sources. The cloud-based industrial controller can monitor and analyze the information, generate control instructions based on the analysis results, and communicate the control instructions to the devices, processes, and/or other assets of the industrial automation system to control operation of the industrial automation system.

Abstract: A method for brake health monitoring may include sending, by a brake control unit (BCU), a brake command signal to initiate a braking maneuver, and receiving a first wheel speed signal and a second wheel speed signal corresponding to the speed of first and second wheels, respectively, during the braking maneuver. The BCU may detect that the speed of the first wheel is greater than the speed of the second wheel by a predetermined threshold, and, in response thereto, post an alert indicating a failure in a brake control component associated with the first wheel based upon the detection of the speed of the first wheel being greater than the speed of the second wheel by the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a critical driving situation of at least one wheel of a rail vehicle, wherein a characteristic value of a fluctuation strength of a raw speed signal of at least one wheel is determined, and wherein, for the purpose of evaluating the driving situation, said characteristic value is compared with criteria which describe a critical driving situation. Upon detection of a critical driving situation, the method provides that an action is triggered in the rail vehicle, wherein the method is designed in such a way that it can be combined with or make use of a sensor system and processing devices as found in a modern rail vehicle.

Abstract: In one example, a method for resolving sensor conflicts in autonomous vehicles includes monitoring conditions around the autonomous vehicle by analyzing data received from a plurality of sensors, detecting a conflict in the data received from two sensors of the plurality of sensors, sending a first instruction to an auxiliary sensor of the autonomous vehicle that is not one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the first instruction instructs the auxiliary sensor to gather additional data about the conditions around the autonomous vehicle, receiving the additional data from the auxiliary sensor, and making a decision regarding operation of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the decision is based at least in part on the additional data.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine with a motor, having a moving machine part and at least one machine element which retains the moving machine part and is subject to wear, such as, for example, a supporting, sealing, guiding or the like retaining machine element that is subject to wear during operation relative to the moving machine part, which machine element, because of the wear, is service-life-limiting for the operation of the internal combustion engine, wherein—for the operation of the internal combustion engine, a service-life-limiting time interval until the next maintenance of the internal combustion engine is specified, and—the internal combustion engine has a number of service-life-limiting machine elements, wherein for the at least one service-life-limiting machine element a remaining service life is forecast and the service-life-limiting time interval is determined therefrom.

Abstract: A system, the system including one or more sensors arranged to detect an area in a proximity of a vehicle and a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The controller is configured to determine that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, determine that a user within the proximity of the vehicle based on data from the one or more sensors, determine that an object is approaching the vehicle based on the data, and alert the user of the object.

Abstract: In a case where a first control device performs traveling control, an abnormality occurs in a first control target, and an abnormality further occurs in a first control target or a second control target, a vehicle control system executes the following processes: (A) in a case where no abnormality occurs in a first control target required for the traveling control, the first control device continues the traveling control; (B) in a case where an abnormality occurs in the first control target required for the traveling control and no abnormality occurs in the second control target required for the traveling control, the second control device executes the traveling control; and (C) in a case where an abnormality occurs in the first control target required for the traveling control and an abnormality occurs in the second control target required for the traveling control, the traveling control is limited.

Abstract: A method for operating an assistance system of a motor vehicle, with a first control unit and with a second control unit, wherein a first rotational speed sensor is connected to the first control unit for recording a rotational speed of a first wheel, wherein a second rotational speed sensor is connected to the second control unit for recording a rotational speed of a second wheel, and wherein the first control unit is coupled to the second control unit using signal technology.

Abstract: A method for authenticating at least one diagnostic trouble code (DTC) generated by a motor vehicle system of a vehicle. The method generates a DTC by a fault detection algorithm, stores the DTC in a volatile fault memory, generates an identity marker denoting the fault detection algorithm at the time of generation of the DTC, stores the identity marker in NVM, stores the DTC in the NVM when an ignition-off request signal is present, loads the DTC from the NVM into the volatile memory when an ignition-on request signal is present, and authenticates the DTC by the authentication data record by, initially by determining the fault detection algorithm by which the fault event was detected, subsequently this fault detection algorithm being compared with the fault detection algorithm indicated by the identity marker, and an absence of concordance resulting in a manipulation of the DTC being indicated.

Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU) for vehicles is described, including memory to store encrypted data and unencrypted data; a main control unit operatively connected to memory to access unencrypted data; and a hardware encryption-decryption device operatively connected to memory to access encrypted/decrypted data for decryption using a hardware algorithm and for encryption using a hardware algorithm. Data in the memory is decrypted by the hardware encryption-decryption device using the hardware algorithm and stored in memory for use by the main control unit. Data in memory is encrypted by the hardware encryption-decryption device using the hardware algorithm for storage in memory. The main control unit and the hardware encryption-decryption device are separate integrate circuits on a same substrate or and are connected by a bus and can process data in parallel. An external bus can communicate encrypted information with the ECU to allow encrypt/decrypt at run time (on-the-fly) and wire-speed.

Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes: an electric motor; a multi-plate clutch including a plurality of clutch plates; a pressing mechanism configured to press the multi-plate clutch; an output rotary member to which a drive force of the electric motor is transferred through the multi-plate clutch; and a control device configured to control the electric motor and the pressing mechanism. The control device is configured to control the pressing mechanism using information on the result of test operation performed while the vehicle is stationary.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method and apparatus for multi vehicle sensor suite diagnosis in a motor vehicle including a receiver operative to receive a remote vehicle sensor data indicative of a location of a target, a sensor operative to collect a host vehicle sensor data indicative of the location of the target, a processor operative to generate a sensor confidence score in response to a comparison of the first remote vehicle sensor data and the host vehicle sensor data, the processor being further operative to perform an assisted driving operation in response to the sensor confidence score, and a transmitter for transmitting the host vehicle sensor data and the sensor confidence score to a first remote vehicle.

Abstract: A method for controlling an automatic hybrid transmission of the motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein the hybrid transmission has at least two engageable gear stages with different transmission ratios, and wherein at least one variable driving range, i.e., at least one specific dynamic powertrain path is engageable such that the entire output torque of the output shaft is formed from the respective drive torque of the internal combustion machine and the electric machine. Losses of comfort to the driver and/or the danger of component damage and the associated costs are reduced by checking during a stopping process, and/or during a deceleration process of the motor vehicle and a downshifting that is requested in this context whether there is a specific operating situation, and the variable driving range is engaged in the event that a specific operating situation exists.

Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed comprising: a controller; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the controller, the ADC including an input terminal for receiving a sensor signal from a transducer; and a diagnostic circuit coupled to the input terminal of the ADC and to the controller, the diagnostic circuit being configured to: generate a diagnostic signal that indicates whether a voltage at the input terminal of the ADC meets a first threshold, and provide the diagnostic signal to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receive a data sample from the ADC, detect whether the data sample meets a second threshold, and transition the apparatus into a safe state when: (i) the diagnostic signal indicates that the voltage at the input terminal does not meet the first threshold, and (ii) the data sample meets the second threshold.