Hardware security modules help thwart hackers bent on getting control of EVs. Todd Slack • Microchip Technology Roughly half of all new vehicles sold this year will be connected vehicles, and estimates are that figure will rise to around 95% by 2030. Those connections via Bluetooth, USB, LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi, and so forth have dramatically […]
FAQ
Free-space optical links, Part 2: Technical issues
Free-space optical links provide a reliable, cost-effective, and quick way to link two fixed communication nodes located a few kilometers apart. The first part of this article established the basic operating principles and rationale for free-space optical links. This part looks at some practical issues associated with their implementation. Q: How do you aim the […]
Battery pack protection keeps EVs on the road
A few best practices for handling transients and over-currents help make electronic drivetrains more reliable. James Colby • Littelfuse, Inc. Automotive market analysts predict that by 2025, high-end vehicles will contain more than $6,000 in electronic components. Most of these advanced electronics will be in the growing number of electric vehicles (EVs). To ensure robust, […]
Connectivity promotes theft prevention in connected vehicles
Thieves may soon learn it doesn’t pay to mess with a smart car. Mike Norris • Silicon Labs More than three million cars are sold in the U.S. annually, and over 700,000 are stolen. Unfortunately for car owners, anti-theft technologies have not kept pace with modern developments, creating a gaping hole in the automotive theft […]
Free-space optical links, Part 1: Principles
Free-space optical links provide a reliable, cost-effective, and quick way to link two fixed communication nodes located a few kilometers apart. When engineers think of “optical data links” or “optical communications” they almost invariably think of light (visible or not) in an optical fiber carrying data at high rates for tens or even thousands of […]
Is an open or closed cable carrier better for a given application?
Open cable carriers have an open chain-link structure with cross bars that contain cables and hoses. Enclosed cable carriers form a complete tube; this can be achieved using a chain-link structure with sliding covers, or as a homogeneous fully sealed corrugated tube, such as a flexible conduit. All cable carriers prevent wear, damage and snagging, […]
Vehicles move into the software realm
New processors have been developed with vehicle safety and connectivity in mind. David Maples, Texas Instruments The trend towards autonomous driving, electrification and connectivity to the cloud is making software a priority. That’s why automotive designers are reworking the architecture of modern-day vehicles and migrating toward a software-defined car. Many systems within cars today are […]
Sensor-realistic simulation in real time
Advanced sensor simulation techniques can be used to validate functions for autonomous driving throughout the development process. Caius Seiger, Dr. Gregor Sievers • dSPACE GmbH Sensor-realistic simulation is a powerful way of validating sensor systems, which are an integral part of autonomous vehicles. Increasingly powerful computer systems make it possible to generate realistic sensor data […]
Contactless sensing in three dimensions for ADAS
No-touch sensor ICs that measure magnetic fields in the X, Y, and Z planes have been optimized for use in vehicular applications. Tyler Hendrigan, Fabian Winkler • Allegro MicroSystems Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have existed for well over 20 years. Many of their individual components have already become afterthoughts for drivers and are now considered […]
Memory and functional safety in autonomous vehicles
As software and its associated memory footprint continue to expand in vehicles, automotive system designers need a deeper understanding of DRAM and its impact. Robert Bielby • Micron Technologies Today’s high-end vehicles are recognized as among the largest embedded software applications in the world, with a total memory footprint expected to grow from today’s staggering […]