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

A road condition detection device (1), to be coupled to the wheel (2) of a vehicle (3), is provided with: an electrostatic charge variation sensor (14), to provide a charge variation signal (S) indicative of an electrostatic charge variation associated with the rotation of the wheel (2); and a processing unit (16), coupled to the electrostatic charge variation sensor (14) to receive the charge variation signal (S) and furthermore for receiving a rotation speed signal (Sv) indicative of the rotation speed of the wheel (2). In particular, the processing unit (16) jointly processes the rotation speed signal (Sv) and the charge variation signal (S) to detect a road condition of a wet road condition and a dry road condition.