Overview: The article explores the vital role of the automotive manufacturing industry in economic growth, detailing essential requirements like system design, component specifications, and validation processes.

One of the largest businesses in the world, the automotive manufacturing industry contributes significantly to the growth of nations due to its capital-intensive structure and the number of job opportunities it generates. Fig. 1 gives a diagrammatic illustration of the increasing number of recorded vehicle transactions depicting its growth. The global automotive industry is expected to achieve over 100 million sales and 2 billion cars on the road by 2030. Emerging automotive markets are expected to be the primary drivers of growth in the years ahead.

Fig. 1 Illustration of several recorded vehicle transactions depicting its growth. Source: MDPI

What are the requirements of automotive manufacturing?

The development process for automotive manufacturing necessitates several specialized factors, such as:

  • System design and simulation
  • Component design
  • Requirement specification
  • Vehicle integration and validation
  • Evaluation

System Design and Component Design

Semiconductor devices are the fundamental units of power electronics systems. Building an electronic device out of bare semiconductor chips requires various factors, which include:

  • Adequate mechanical strength, adequate sealing, and dependable connectors are required due to the complicated vibration loads from the traction system.
  • It must have a broad range of operating temperatures, often between -40°C and 150°C.
  • The cost of any automotive element is one of the most sensitive factors.
  • High power density and efficiency for improved driving range.

The primary factors and specifications that are essential for package designs are included in Table 1.

Table. 1 Primary factor for system design and component design Source: IEEE Access

The automotive industry uses both discrete devices and multichip modules. Meanwhile, the multichip modules need more care with chip spacing and circuit design. The packaging should have outstanding thermal and mechanical properties and desirable electrical properties because it is a complicated multi-physics system. 

A power rating can reach up to 200 kW to satisfy the demand for off-road and high-performance electric vehicles. For such high power ratings, higher voltage ratings (over 800 V) are preferred to maintain high efficiency. The module packaging faces several challenges as a result of these limitations. 

In the case of a compact layout, it increases power density but poses reliability and thermal management issues. A smaller die area will result in a higher heat flow and limit heat dissipation. The high temperature will impact the reliability of the insulation, connections, and bonding. However, because of the compact design, manufacturing procedures like soldering and sintering would be more challenging to perform precisely and reliably.

However, similar difficulties are likely to appear in future power modules, particularly when smaller-footprint wide bandgap (WBG) transistors replace traditional silicon (Si) devices. The power rating, voltage rating, load condition, and operating environment should be determined based on the requirements of the particular automotive application.

Requirement Specification

A requirement specification, also known as a software requirements specification (SRS) or system requirements specification, is a document that describes the requirements, goals, and expectations for a product or system. It serves as the foundation and defines what the system should do and how it should perform. The key requirements and specifications for automotive electronics include:

  • ISO 26262: It is the primary international standard for functional safety in automotive electronics, covering the entire product lifecycle from concept to decommissioning. A set of techniques and process steps are provided by this standard to guarantee the dependability, stability, and safety of these systems.
  • IATF 16949: It is a specific standard for the automotive industry focusing on quality management systems. This applies to organizations involved in the design, development, production, installation, and servicing of automotive products.
  • AEC-Q100: It is a qualification test for packaged integrated circuits in automotive applications that defines stress tests and temperature ranges for integrated circuits.
  • AEC-Q200: It is a stress resistance standard for passive electronic components, which covers components like resistors, inductors, capacitors, and transformers.
  • ISO/SAE 21434: This standard focuses on cybersecurity for road vehicles, which establishes methods for integrating security into vehicle development, production, and operation.

Vehicle Integration and Validation

Vehicle testing and validation is one of the most crucial stages, during which a new car prototype is tested on actual roads. At the same time, its electronic control units (ECUs) gather a lot of data (4–6 GB per day). The information acquired from the tests provides all the information required to verify and examine the emissions, ECU calibration, powertrain operation, and other factors.

However, On-road testing and validation cannot be substituted since they are essential to guarantee the complete vehicle's operation, calibration, safety, and effectiveness. Numerous approaches have been put forth to lower the development and testing expenses of automobiles, including:

  • Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)
  • Engine-in-the-loop (EIL)
  • X-in-the-loop (XIL)

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)

It is a testing technique where an embedded system is placed into a testing process that simulates the operation of the product under real-world conditions. In contrast to using a simulation, HIL testing offers more realistic interaction in physical hardware. Certain hardware limits, such as signal integrity, electrical noise, temperature impacts, and even processor limitations, can be ignored by software simulation. Software simulation and HIL are coupled to produce an effective testing combination.

Engine-in-the-Loop (EIL)

EIL is a specific form of HIL simulation focused on engine testing and development. It imitates vehicle operations on an engine testbed, allowing for early-stage emission development work. EIL involves coupling a physical engine (with its control unit) to the virtual vehicle and driver models through a high-power, low-inertia engine dynamometer. It's particularly useful for powertrain control development and engine and vehicle performance evaluation. EIL provides better repeatability and flexibility, especially for studying transient operating modes.

X-in-the-Loop (XIL)

XIL is a more recent and broader concept that extends the "in-the-loop" approach to various components or systems. It allows for a more flexible and comprehensive approach to system testing and validation. XIL can include various combinations of real and simulated components, depending on the testing requirements.

To conclude, automotive manufacturing, especially for electronic components, requires adherence to strict quality, safety, and performance standards to ensure reliability and longevity in the demanding automotive environment.

Summarizing the Key Points

  • Key requirements for automotive development include system design, component design, requirement specifications, and thorough vehicle integration and validation to ensure reliability and performance.
  • Testing methodologies like Hardware-in-the-Loop, Engine-in-the-Loop, and X-in-the-Loop are essential for simulating real-world conditions and validating automotive systems effectively.
  • Adherence to industry standards such as AEC-Q100, AEC-Q200, ISO 26262, and IATF 16949 is vital for ensuring quality, safety, and cybersecurity in automotive electronics and components

Reference

Bedretchuk, João Paulo, Sergio Arribas García, Thiago Nogiri Igarashi, Rafael Canal, Anderson Wedderhoff Spengler, and Giovani Gracioli. “Low-Cost Data Acquisition System for Automotive Electronic Control Units.” Sensors 23, no. 4 (February 19, 2023): 2319.
https://doi.org/10.3390/s23042319

Yang, Yuhang, Lea Dorn-Gomba, Romina Rodriguez, Christopher Mak, and Ali Emadi. “Automotive Power Module Packaging: Current Status and Future Trends.” IEEE Access 8 (January 1, 2020): 160126–44. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.3019775

Dakić, Pavle, Igor Stupavský, and Vladimir Todorović. “The Effects of Global Market Changes on Automotive Manufacturing and Embedded Software.” Sustainability 16, no. 12 (June 8, 2024): 4926. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124926