IC design considerations for the harsh automotive electrical environment

This paper provides the reader with an overview of automotive industry standards for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electrostatic discharge (ESD) and the thermal environment. Integrated circuit designers who work on automotive products must be technically aware of the harsh electrical environment that their ICs must not only survive, but often operate within specification. The many sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and its negative impact on electrical system performance are examined. More importantly to the IC designer, the design techniques for improving EMC and reducing EMI at the IC level are presented