Glossary

Adhesive Sensors

Most parking sensors are designed to be fitted recessed into holes drilled into the bumper or body work of a car. However adhesive styles of sensors are available that you can individually adhere to the car without you needing to drill any holes or in the form of a mounting strip or plate, on the number plate for example. These systems will protrude from the bodywork of the car however rather than having a flush fitting appearance.

Bulkhead

Refers to a metal wall, barrier or partition. You have one of these between the engine bay and the interior of a car. They also sometimes exist in vans and lorries where the cabin is separate to the loading bay. They usually include a grommet of area where cables are passed through.

Chassis

The bodywork or frame of a car or van.

Earth

In order to make an electrical circuit safe and secure it needs to be earthed. What this effectively requires when connecting electrical equipment to the interior or exterior of a car is that the earth cable is attached to the chassis of the vehicle.

Grommet

A rubber disc/seal that is weather proof whiles allowing cables and other connections to pass through.

Ignition Switched Feed

This means a source of power that is only live or on when the cars ignition is on. Examples of this would be the cars stereo system or interior light circuit.

OEM

Stands for Original Equipment from Manufacturer. Essentially something that comes on the car from new as standard, or gives the appearance of such and therefore increases or at least does not decrease the value of the car.

Recess Sensors

These fit neatly into holes you drill into the bumper or bodywork of the car resulting in a flush fitting and looking as original equipment on the car, OEM.

Reversing Light

On all cars of the modern era, when reverse gear is selected a white light switches on at the rear of the car to warn people and vehicles behind that it is about to reverse. Rear parking sensors are predominantly powered from the reversing light, meaning that they are only activated when required, when the car is reversing.

Ultrasonic

Sound waves emitted at a higher pitch than those audible by the human ear. These sound waves bounce off obstacles and since the speed of sound is known the time it takes for the sound waves to travel to an obstacle and return can be used to calculate the location and distance to an object. Bats and Dolphin's navigate using the same principles.