Vision zero in traffic is something that car manufacturers and countries around the world strive for. To achieve this, safer and smarter cars are needed. Car manufacturers are introducing safety systems after safety systems to make it safer for the driver and other road users. One of these safety systems is LiDAR sensors. They scan the road ahead of the car and construct a 3D image of the surroundings to help and prevent accidents from happening. The sensors are very advanced but at the same time sensitive. For the sensor to function optimally, it needs the readings not to be disturbed by, for example, dirt, dust, or liquids that can end up on the surface of the sensor as the car travels. Therefore, a cleaning system needs to be developed to solve the problem.

The project team gathered a large amount of information about LiDAR sensors and cleaning techniques to understand the problem. Different cleaning techniques were compared, and the project team concluded that ultrasound technology was best suited in terms of cleaning ability and water usage. The project team gathered information about ultrasound technology and built their own cleaning system to test the technology. The goal of the project was to create an innovative cleaning concept through a large amount of information and manufacture a prototype for testing the chosen concept.

The result was UsoniClean, which is a concept that cleans the surface of a LiDAR sensor using ultrasound technology. The concept and prototype consist of three necessary components that create the cleaning ability. A circuit board that drives an ultrasound transducer that converts electrical current into mechanical vibration. A sonotrode, which is a metal piece screwed into the transducer to allow it to impact a larger surface area. The transducer causes the sonotrode to vibrate at the same frequency. The sonotrode, which is in contact with water and the sensor surface, causes the water to vibrate. When water vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency, it has a very effective cleaning ability that the project team uses to clean the sensor. The cleaning system successfully passed tests with test dirt that is standard within the automotive industry. UsoniClean is an innovative solution to promote safer and more secure traffic in the future.