The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
An accumulated distance traveled by a vehicle is typically calculated by a cluster based on information measured by a sensor equipped in the vehicle. That is, the accumulated distance is obtained by unilaterally providing information from the sensor and processing the information by the cluster.
We have discovered that such a traditional way of calculating the accumulated distance based on the unilateral provision of information makes arbitrary manipulation possible not only in the mechanical cluster but also in the electronic cluster. Especially, in an electronic digital cluster, the accumulated distance (or odometer) may be manipulated with little time and effort by replacing or reprogramming a chip. This odometer manipulation leads to dampening public trust in vehicle condition and especially causes significant side effects in aftermarkets.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds