Types of Outdoor Driveway Alarm Sensors and Driveway Monitor Sensors

Driveway Alarm Sensor Types

Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR)

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These are the most common type. Passive infrared sensors are triggered when a combination of heat and movement is detected in the monitored zone. This means a car, truck, person, or any animal will trigger the sensor IF it passes through the monitored zone.

Magnetometer Based Sensor

These sensors are designed only to pick up automobiles and work when heavy metallic objects are detected in the monitored zone. The sensor typically has a probe buried just under or parallel to the driveway. When a car or truck drives through the zone, the probe detects and triggers the change in the magnetic field.

Pneumatic

Do you remember the old gas stations with a rubber hose stretched across the entrance? It would ring a bell as the car rolled over the hose. This type of sensor is called a pneumatic sensor. When a heavy vehicle rolls over the hose, the change in air pressure inside the hose triggers the sensor.

Break Beam Sensor

These sensors work in pairs, and when someone or something passes between the pair of sensors, they detect that the beam between them was broken and are, thus, triggered.