Automotive DesignLine Europe

Mentor Graphics to address variant diversity

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:03:00 EST

With the acquisition of Freescale's Virtual Garage software product line, EDA software vendor Mentor Graphics plans to address two aspect that increasingly complicate automotive electronic designer's work: First, the conflict between added value and costs associated with the complexity of multiple electronics options in cars. The second aspect is the availability of vehicle-specific design data to service workshops — for instance dynamic circuit diagrams.

55 nanometer embedded flash process for automotive microcontrollers

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:08:00 EST

STMicroelectronics announced its 55 nanometer embedded flash (eFlash) process technology, which will be implemented in the company's next-generation automotive microcontroller chips.

Crisis hits Elmos 2009 figures

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:44:00 EST

Automotive chip vendor Elmos AG (Dortmund, Germany) has been hit badly in FY 2009 by the automotive crisis. Despite a strong uptrend in the second half of the year, the company saw its sales decline drastically.

Error Handling Strategies for a MOST Application Framework

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:11:00 EST

Automotive infotainment systems are highly interactive. In such systems, data and transmission errors never can be ruled out, which calls for implementing an error handling strategy. To this end, the MOST bus architecture offers sophisticated options.

Renault joins Genivi infotainment alliance

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST

In a move that further strengthens the position of the Genivi open-source infotainment alliance, French automotive OEM Renault has joined the group which promotes a software platform for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) applications.

Car electronics to become a complex commodity, experts predict

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:37:00 EST

Which type of motor will suit best future mobility requirements against the background of tighter climate gas emission regulations? This question is fiercely discussed within the automotive industry: While the traditionalist faction believes that conventional combustion engines still offer a large potential to improve efficiency and thus significantly reduce pollutant emissions, others call for radical moves towards a zero-emission vehicle which — of course — will be driven by an electric motor. At the Euroforum conference on automotive electronics in Munich, both groups lifted the lid on the things to come over the next few years.

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Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:37:00 EST

LIN system chip withstands high voltages

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:52:00 EST

Chip manufacturer Elmos AG (Dortmund, Germany) has introduced a system basis chip for the LIN data bus that withstands voltages of up to 12 kilovolts.

Hall sensors offer preset sensitivity levels

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:09:00 EST

Automotive sensor system vendor Micronas presents three new value-optimized variants of the HAL 182x family. Their EMC performance and overvoltage protection makes them suited for automotive applications.

Days to recall

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:20:00 EST

Spectacular recalls currently dominate the headlines. But software glitches and poor material selection are only the visible part of the problem.

ISSI brings high-density automotive memory chips

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:36:00 EST

Integrated Silicon Solution (ISSI) has added the 1 Gibabit density to its DDR2 SDRAM product family. Available in different internal organization structures, the memory chips meet automotive requirements.

Bosch launches fab for automotive semiconductors

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:25:00 EST

Automotive supplier Robert Bosch GmbH (Gerlingen, Germany) currently is adding the finishing touches to its 200mm wafer fab in near-by Reutlingen. The fab will start production ramp-up in early March — with a delay of about nine months against earlier plans. Also the capacity target apparently has been reduced.

Car bodywork could be used to power future cars

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 07:14:00 EST

Researchers from Imperial College London and their European partners, including Volvo Car Corporation, are developing parts of a car's bodywork to enable it to double up as a battery source.

Vehicle test stand is designed for e-cars

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 06:25:00 EST

The Fraunhofer Institute for Operative Stability and System Reliability (Darmstadt, Germany) have commissioned a test stand for complete cars. Unlike comparable existing test stands, the new one is designed for electric cars.

Motor control in air conditioners with dual sensor less FOC and active PFC

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:04:00 EST

Improved energy efficiency and reduced system costs are the driving factors in modern motor control designs. Sophisticated motor control concepts with sensor less Field Oriented Control (FOC) and Power Factor Correction (PFC) help to fulfill these demands. The article shows how these concepts can be used in an air conditioner design for vehicles.

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Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:04:00 EST

Asymmetric encryption improves car key security

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 03:45:00 EST

Radio-controlled entry systems are ubiquitous in today's cars, but security remains an issue. Fraunhofer Scientists now for the first time have implemented an asymmetric encryption scheme in a car key. They claim that the hardware required is comparable in price and power requirements to conventional symmetric encryption keys.

Data logger supports all automotive bus systems

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 12:22:00 EST

For test and evaluation purposes in automotive environments, Ixxat automation GmbH (Weingarten, Germany) has developed its CARcorder diagnosis and data logging unit. The device supports all relevant bus systems such as CAN, FlexRay and LIN.

GENIVI Alliance to demonstrate first open source-based IVI platform at CES 2010

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:52:00 EST

The GENIVI Alliance, an automotive industry association driving the development and adoption of an open in-vehicle Infotainment (IVI) reference platform, will be demonstrating the initial implementation of the GENIVI 1.0 platform in Las Vegas during International CES 2010, January 7th to 10th.

GENIVI Alliance gains ground in Japanese automotive industry

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:57:00 EST

The GENIVI Alliance, an industry association driving the development and adoption of an open In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) reference platform, has continued expansion of its membership with the addition of five Japan-based companies — Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Alpine Electronics, Mitsubishi Electric, Pioneer Corporation and Rohm CO, Ltd.

Strong growth predicted for European car telematics

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:36:00 EST

Market researcher iSuppli (Tempe, Ariz.) sees a boom in the automotive industry towards telematics. Through the year 2016, iSuppli predicts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.5 percent in terms of units for the Western European market. But there are significant differences between automotive brands.

Aston-Martin CEO criticizes e-car hype

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST

During a panel discussion at the Productronica trade fair, the top executive of automotive OEM Aston Martin Lagonda has found harsh words for the trend towards electric cars and the associated infrastructure developments.

Knock detection using wavelets

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:49:00 EDT

The authors describe a new engine knock detection approach based on a wavelet transform techniques. They conclude that a new adaptive knock detection approach is feasible using wavelet transform and that future work should focus on efficient hardware implementation.

iSuppli praises BMW 7-series for ergonomics, telematics

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EDT

BMW's top-of-the line series 7 combines ease-of-use with a very complete electronic option list, finds market researcher iSuppli.

Hannover fair picks up e-car topic

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:03:00 EDT

Deutsche Messe AG, organizer of the Hannover industry fair, will dedicate a specific exhibition to the topic of electric vehicles. For the start, the 'MobiliTec' show will be embedded in the Hannover fair.

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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:03:00 EDT

Micronas replaces top executives for automotive focus

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:47:00 EDT

Swiss chip manufacturer Micronas Holding AG has announced to replace its CEO and CFO. Also four of the five seats in the supervisory board will be reassigned. The move reflects the intention to focus on automotive markets.

Copper-based piezo actuators offer improved durability

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:07:00 EDT

Piezo fuel injection systems have become established as the state of the art in passenger vehicles. A new generation of actuators based on an innovative ceramic technology with copper inner electrodes now offer much better performance and durability.<