Electronics, software drive new mobility solutions
The automotive electronics industry since a few years has been undergoing a massive transformation by producing impressive new technologies that answer the market needs in term of comfort, safety and power management. Autonomous driving and electrification are driving this revolution. Inertial and chemical sensor hubs, as well as imaging and magnetic sensor hubs, are all part of the automotive electronics landscape.
Fueled by strong growth in electric vehicles and autonomous cars, and a dramatic increase in electronics content in conventional automobiles and trucks, automotive electronics are crucial components of engine, ignition, and transmission management; entertainment, navigation, diagnostic tools and safety systems.
Recently, the dashboard has received a major upgrade. Mechanical gauges are going digital – the classic speedometer, odometer and warning signals are moving to TFT (thin-film transistor) displays – where the 2D and 3D graphics require fast processing and memory to provide real-time feedback. While TFTs create an undeniable “cool” factor, they also enable safer and smarter driving. Smart TFT displays analyze and filter vehicle, environment and safety information to ensure only the most relevant data is displayed at any given moment.
Electronics mainly helps to improve safety technology, which will power computerised systems that help drivers out when things get dangerous or inconvenient. At the same time electronic systems help in improving fuel efficiency. With the constant flux of gas prices and consumer focus on sustainability, there is always room to improve efficiency and save fuel.
More advanced drivetrain / power management systems mean better fuel efficiency, and moving forward, this won’t necessarily be at the expense of power. In the interior side, to have an interactive and adaptive cabin experience, think popup displays that link together climate controls, driver information, communications and entertainment – and are accessed through touch screens that adapt to driver preferences and the environment.
To make these features a reality and elevate in-car technology to the next level, the automotive industry needs to focus on integrating specialized hardware and software technologies. That optimal combination will provide even greater speed and reliability that will ultimately be necessary to power the car of the future. In the coming years, there is huge potential for telematics and UI advances to be driven largely by hardware innovation and few companies are currently working on integrating flash technology with logic to improve the experience. The automotive electronics space is in the beginning stages of exploring the possibilities, and the road ahead is looking pretty cool. As the role of electronics and software are gaining important roles in the new vehicles, Auto Components India is highlighting some of the recent and futuristic changes being brought about by the key players in the industry.
According to Prashant Doreswamy, Head of Continental India, “In Luxury cars today, there are 100s of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to operate the vehicle. Every part requires expertise in the domain of electronics. These vehicles are more of one single computer running.” Continental develops and produces efficient system solutions for vehicle powertrains to optimize fuel consumption. The product range from Continental includes gasoline and diesel injection systems, engine management and transmission control, including sensors and actuators, exhaust-gas after treatment technologies, fuel supply systems, and components and systems for hybrid and electric drives.
NXP India is offering secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications for automated vehicles. Not going by the traditional wires, NXP supports the light-weighting of vehicles by using gateway manufacturing and electrification.
WebNMS, the IoT division of Zoho Corporation, provides enterprise IoT platform and solutions that maximise the potential of connected business infrastructure. The company offers many ready to deploy solutions that are built over its IoT platform.