Distributed fiber optic sensing system

A vehicle sensing system comprising:

• an optic fiber disposed adjacent to a vehicle panel of a vehicle body;
• a transmitter/receiver disposed at an originating end of the optic fiber, the transmitter/receiver configured to emit a beam through the optic fiber at a defined originating frequency and receive a reflection of the beam through the optic fiber;
• a reflector disposed at a terminal end of the optic fiber configured to receive the beam emitted by the transmitter/receiver through the optic fiber and reflect back the reflection of the beam through the optic fiber to the transmitter/receiver;
• and
• a controller in communication with the transmitter/receiver, the controller configured to:
• determine a difference between the originating frequency of the beam emitted from the transmitter/receiver and a reflected frequency of the reflection of the beam reflected back from the reflector to the transmitter/receiver, and
• identify a position of a distortion in the vehicle panel based on the difference between the originating frequency of the beam emitted from the transmitter/receiver and the reflected frequency of the reflection of the beam reflected back from the reflector to the transmitter/receiver.