Designing electronics for the automotive environment

The author outlines a number of typical automotive electronics requirements and provides examples of technologies and design techniques currently used to satisfy both electrical and mechanical (packaging) requirements. Factors determining the choice of a particular technology are examined, and attention is given to product design, output configurations, and output protection. It is concluded that those components which must interface directly with the vehicle´s supply or system input/outputs need to utilize an appropriate power integrated circuit technology to meet supply and input/output requirements. The demands for increased protection, a safe operating area, and reliability must be addressed at the design level in order to respond to present and future challenges of higher quality and reliability demanded by competitive pressures, such as extended warranties, while meeting cost and performance objectives.