A soot sensor system comprising: a soot sensor (400, 700, 1300) comprising: a substrate (402, 702, 1302) defining a first surface (404, 704, 1304) and a second surface opposing said first surface; a first and a second element of continuous loop of conductive material (410, 420, 710, 720, 1310, 1320) disposed on said first surface of said substrate, wherein said first element comprises first and second electrical contacts (414, 416, 424, 426, 714, 716, 724, 726, 1314, 1316, 1324, 1326) at opposite ends thereof and wherein said second element comprises first and second electrical contacts (414, 416, 424, 426, 714, 716, 724, 726, 1314, 1316, 1324, 1326) at opposite ends thereof, said first and said second element each being configured to operate in a first mode to sense accumulation of soot on at least said first surface of said substrate and to operate in a second mode to remove accumulated soot on at least said first surface of said substrate; and circuitry (1102, 2500, S1) coupled to said first and said second element, said circuitry configured to: select whether to connect said first element and said second element in series or in parallel, wherein, when said first and said second elements are connected in parallel, said circuitry is further configured to: cause a sense current (I sense) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements, and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; cause a heater current (I heater) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements and to control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and wherein, when said first and said second elements are connected in series, said circuitry is configured to: cause said sense current (I sense) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and cause said heater current (I heater) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to control heating of said first and said second elements in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate. a substrate (402, 702, 1302) defining a first surface (404, 704, 1304) and a second surface opposing said first surface; a first and a second element of continuous loop of conductive material (410, 420, 710, 720, 1310, 1320) disposed on said first surface of said substrate, wherein said first element comprises first and second electrical contacts (414, 416, 424, 426, 714, 716, 724, 726, 1314, 1316, 1324, 1326) at opposite ends thereof and wherein said second element comprises first and second electrical contacts (414, 416, 424, 426, 714, 716, 724, 726, 1314, 1316, 1324, 1326) at opposite ends thereof, said first and said second element each being configured to operate in a first mode to sense accumulation of soot on at least said first surface of said substrate and to operate in a second mode to remove accumulated soot on at least said first surface of said substrate; and circuitry (1102, 2500, S1) coupled to said first and said second element, select whether to connect said first element and said second element in series or in parallel, wherein, when said first and said second elements are connected in parallel, said circuitry is further configured to: cause a sense current (I sense) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements, and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; cause a heater current (I heater) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements and to control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and wherein, when said first and said second elements are connected in series, said circuitry is configured to: cause said sense current (I sense) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and cause said heater current (I heater) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to control heating of said first and said second elements in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate. cause a sense current (I sense) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements, and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; cause a heater current (I heater) to be applied to at least one of said first and said second elements and to control heating of said soot sensor in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and wherein, when said first and said second elements are connected in series, said circuitry is configured to: cause said sense current (I sense) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and cause said heater current (I heater) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to control heating of said first and said second elements in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate. cause said sense current (I sense) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to detect soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate; and cause said heater current (I heater) to be applied to said first and said second elements and to control heating of said first and said second elements in response to said soot accumulated on said first surface of said substrate.