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When a Car is Not Just a Car.

Mar 25, 2019 11:12:06 AM

Technological innovation, infotainment, comfort features, advanced sensors, safety and communications …to meet our growing wish lists for autonomous driving and staying connected, the car of the future will have it all! No longer just for taking us from here to there, our cars are becoming extensions of our homes and offices, data and media centers on wheels…and very complex!

Sounds great, but it’s not without significant safety challenges.

When a car is on the road, the results of just a second or two of a driver’s distraction can be fatal. Envision the catastrophic scenes of what could happen if you text while driving, lean over to pick up a dropped telephone, or look back to stop children fighting in the backseat. The good news is, as we move into the era of autonomous cars, we won’t need to worry as much about human interference. There are still, however, considerable risks to contend with. A major one that shouldn’t be overlooked is electromagnetic interference (EMI), or to be more precise, malfunction of electronic devices or systems caused by crossed or damaged wires, bad signals, data or image transmission delays, etc.

To avoid EMI catastrophic results, you need EMC robustness. This means that the multitude of electronic systems and devices in our cars must be able to function as intended  without affecting each other’s performance.

However, as the number of electronic systems continues to grow, so do the potential risks from EMC-related failures. This is compounded by the ever-increasing bandwidth needed in the car, as faster data rates lead to higher risks of interference.  Even a small accident or bump can disconnect a connector, or cause a break in a wire…

So, how can the EMC challenges of the connected and autonomous car be met? How can high-bandwidth digital data streams, many of which are responsible for safety-critical functions, be supported? What architecture will allow for smart design without increasing weight of the car?

Valens’ HDBaseT Automotive technology converges multiple data types over a single, unshielded twisted pair wire (up to 15m/50ft long), carrying multi-Gigabit data, even under the challenging EMC-rich environment within cars. It is this ability to meet and exceed the EMC requirements of the automotive industry that will enable OEMs and Tier-1s redefine their connectivity systems, while reducing total vehicle cost.

EMC robustness is a central element towards realizing the dream of the autonomous car, and it’s time to take this issue seriously. Click here to learn more about HDBaseT Automotive technology

 

 

Topics: EMC, Autonomous Driving, EMI

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