*This Editor’s Note will appear in the January/February Edition of ECN.
Back in our November/December 2018 issue, we gave you a sneak peek at the exciting changes coming from ECN in 2019, and now it is finally here. In addition to totally revamping the entire design of the magazine, we have added a plethora of new content for you to enjoy.
We start out with ECN Today on p. 6, which offers an overview of some of the trends and industry news covered on our website (www.ecnmag.com). We follow it up with a lineup of six new columns:
- The Drawing Board
- Components Corner
- Semiconductor Sphere
- Power Play
- Embedded Within
- Final Check
These informative columns, starting on p. 8, are written by industry experts and outline the design engineer’s process from brainstorming to testing.
This year’s inaugural issue focuses on transportation with a concentration in autonomous vehicle technology. It seems that whether the public is ready to move out of the driver’s seat or not, self-driving cars will be coming soon to a road near you. In the meantime, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are bridging the gap between traditional, human-driven cars and autonomous vehicles. This issue’s cover story on p. 14, “Paving the Way to Verify and Validate the Design of First-Generation Automated Driving Vehicles,” by Andrew Macleod and Mike Santarini, examines virtual testing and the role it plays in ensuring safe autonomous vehicles.
Our tech features continue with “Choosing Testing Techniques to Make Advanced Vehicle Technology Affordable,” by Hwee Yng Yeo, on p. 18, which takes a look at tests for automotive electronics and how they can lead to faster adoption of autonomous vehicle technology. We also explore heads-up displays in “AR in Your Car: How HUDs Are Changing Driving,” by Mike Firth, on p. 20. Rounding out ECN’s features on p. 22, “Sensor, Processor Innovations Move Autonomous Vehicles Forward,” by Jim Hines, highlights a variety of sensing technologies that will be critical to autonomous vehicle designs.
Another exciting change for this issue is the inclusion of WDD and PDD as special sections. Beginning on p. 25, we bolster our transportation coverage with WDD’s focus on transportation networks. Our cover story on p. 26, “Three Major Dimensions in Connected Car Security,” by Majeed Ahmad, explores securing connected cars using a multi-prong approach. The trend toward vehicle safety is continued in “Millimeter Wave Automotive Radar Seeks to Improve Driver Safety,” by Frederic Weiller, on p. 28. Our last article in WDD, on p. 30, “Accelerating the Standardization of Wired Connectivity Protocols for Autonomous Vehicles,” by Rick Weitfeldt, discusses taking advantage of standards from the smartphone industry when establishing connectivity protocols for autonomous vehicles.
Our PDD special section starts on p. 33, and contains a wealth of information on robotics and automation. The section’s cover story on p. 34, “Intelligent Robots Take On Demanding Industry Challenges” by Joyce Laird, centers on the growing trends of artificial intelligence (AI) and collaborative technology in robots. The section’s features begin on p. 38, with “AI at the Edge: How ‘Cobots’ Can Process Sensor Data Quickly,” by Matthieu Chevrier, which takes a look at how robots collaborate with humans.
We couldn’t be more excited to bring you this new and improved ECN, and hope you stay with us to receive the latest news and information on all things concerning the design engineering community.