this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2026
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Privacy
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As a person who has some expertise in a related field, let me explain:
If the covered area represent coils, those coils are not appropriately sized or positioned to detect differences from car to car. They are appropriately sized to do what the other poster said and provide a presence input that can be used to feedback into a traffic control system or a simple counter to analyze road use.
A current is induced in a coil when a ferrous material is vibrated near it or when an electric current flows near it. The frequency, intensity and wave shape of the current is directly proportional to the movement of the ferrous material or flowing current. The degree to which the current is induced is modified by coupling strength and the structure of the coil.
A coil that size would be really bad for receiving induced currents that reflect various relatively small ferrous moving parts like pistons and wheels whose particular signatures could be used to identify a vehicle and also bad for receiving induced currents that reflect electrical activity which could also be used to identify a vehicle.
It is the right size for receiving induced currents that indicate a large ferrous object like a car has passed near it.
Which is of course what a coil like that is used for in civil engineering.