Sensor system for a vehicle

A method comprising:

• sensing one or more environmental parameters using a first sensor disposed onboard a first vehicle;
• sensing the one or more environmental parameters using a second sensor disposed onboard a second vehicle;
• communicating a first signal from the first sensor to a controller disposed onboard the first vehicle, the first signal indicating a value of the one or more environmental parameters sensed by the first sensor;
• controlling operation of a power component of the first vehicle using a controller onboard the first vehicle based on the value of the one or more environmental parameters received from the first sensor;
• detecting undesired operation of the first sensor;
• transitioning to communicating a second signal output by the second sensor to the controller, the second signal indicating the value of the one or more environmental parameters;
• adjusting the value of the one or more environmental parameters from the second signal based at least in part on a determined distance between the first and the second vehicles;
• and
• controlling the operation of the power component of the first vehicle using the value of the one or more environmental parameters received from the second sensor.

A system comprising:

• a first sensor disposed onboard a first vehicle of a multi-vehicle system;
• a second sensor disposed onboard a second vehicle of the multi-vehicle system, both the first sensor and the second sensor measuring values of an environmental condition outside of the multi-vehicle system;
• and
• a controller disposed onboard the first vehicle, the controller configured to;
• automatically derate the engine of the first vehicle responsive to no longer receiving the values of the environmental condition;
• to switch to receiving the values of the environmental condition from the first sensor to receiving the values of the environmental condition from the second sensor to avoid derating the engine of the first vehicle,
• wherein the controller is configured to adjust the values of the environmental condition from the second signal based at least in part on a determined distance between the first and second vehicles.