Enabling semiconductor technologies for automotive systems
Ross T. Bannatyne · 1998
The objective of this paper is to discuss the requirement for innovative silicon solutions for modern automobiles and the specific technologies which are being developed for automotive applications. There are now many Electronic Control Units (ECUs) being implemented on vehicles which require high-speed communications for data sharing over several networks. In order to deal with the increasing bandwidth requirements and to interface efficiently with the many sensors and actuators on the modern vehicle, significant advances are being made in electronic systems. The scope of the problem and types of systems affected will be discussed along with the solutions which are being generated. 'System chips' are being developed which integrate monolithically different semiconductor technologies in order to reduce chip-count, cost, size and increase performance and reliability; all the key drivers in the automotive industry. Analog, power, digital and sensor technologies are now being merged to meet the requirements of the automotive industry. Examples of these developments will be cited. Smart sensors are being developed to facilitate distributed processing and address the problem of massive sensor implementation in automotive systems, The smart sensor concept allows easier sharing of information between related systems such as chassis control systems (braking, steering, suspension, etc.). The concept and application of smart sensors will be discussed. The other key advances in semiconductor technologies for automotive applications will be discussed such as flash NV memory, mechatronics, power consumption issues and vehicular communications protocols. The impact of these technologies on simplifying development of complex systems will be made clear.