DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF ROAD CONDITIONS FOR VEHICLE APPLICATIONS

A road condition detection device, to be coupled to the wheel of a vehicle, is provided with: an electrostatic charge variation sensor, to provide a charge variation signal indicative of an electrostatic charge variation associated with the rotation of the wheel; and a processing unit, coupled to the electrostatic charge variation sensor to receive the charge variation signal and furthermore for receiving a rotation speed signal indicative of the rotation speed of the wheel. In particular, the processing unit jointly processes the rotation speed signal and the charge variation signal to detect a road condition of a wet road condition and a dry road condition.