Automotive Standards for Electronic Components

With technology penetrating every element of our day-to-day lives, from household security systems to the food that we eat, the vehicles we drive have become increasingly reliant on sophisticated electronics. From advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking to complex powertrain control units and elaborate infotainment systems, electronics now permeate every aspect of the automotive sector; this pervasive integration demands solid, reliable electronic components that can withstand the harsh and demanding automotive environment—they need to go the distance without failure. 

And, naturally, automotive brings challenges to electronic components that aren’t seen in your standard household appliances. Extreme temperature fluctuations, constant vibration, exposure to moisture and chemicals, and the presence of electromagnetic interference (EMI) all pose threats to component reliability and, consequently, vehicle safety. To make sure that the safety and longevity of these critical systems are the number one priority of developers, adherence to the many national and international standards is of the utmost importance; these standards provide a framework for component selection, design, and testing, ensure that components can withstand the rigors of automotive operation and meet the highest levels of quality of safety.

If you need to know about the key automotive standards that govern the design and selection of electronic components, you are in the right place. Read on to explore how these standards address major concerns such as reliability, safety, and environmental elements. 

Key Automotive Standards

Several critical automotive standards guide the development and selection of electronic components and provide a framework for ensuring safety, reliability, and quality throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle. The following are some of the key ones. 

ISO 26262

This international standard focuses on functional safety for road vehicles. It establishes a risk-based approach to the development of safety-related systems, including those heavily reliant on electronics. ISO 26262 defines the four Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs), which categorize the criticality of safety functions; higher ASIL levels demand more stringent design and verification processes. This standard is particularly relevant for electronic components involved in safety-critical systems such as ADAS, braking systems, and steering systems.

AEC-Q100/Q101/Q102

These standards, developed by the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC), provide stress qualification requirements for various types of electronic components. AEC-Q100 covers integrated circuits, AEC-Q101 addresses discrete semiconductors, and AEC-Q102 focuses on optoelectronic semiconductors. These standards outline rigorous testing procedures to assess component performance under extreme conditions, including temperature cycling, humidity, vibration, and electromagnetic interference. Successful qualification according to these standards provides confidence in the reliability and longevity of components in the harsh automotive environment.

IATF 16949:2016

Formerly known as ISO/TS 16949, this international standard specifies the quality management system requirements for organizations in the automotive supply chain. While not directly focused on component selection, IATF 16949:2016 plays a crucial role in ensuring the overall quality and reliability of automotive products. It emphasizes continuous improvement, risk management, and customer satisfaction through the creation of process-oriented quality management systems that bring continual improvement, the prevention of defects, and a “reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain,” all of which are essential for the successful development and deployment of reliable electronic components.

Other Relevant Standards

Several other standards are relevant to the automotive industry, including ISO/SAE 21434, which focuses on cybersecurity for road vehicles, and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulations, which address vehicle emissions and environmental impact. These standards contribute to the overall safety and performance of vehicles and must be considered during the design and development process.

Component Selection Considerations

Now that you understand some of the standout standards that rule over the automotive industry, we should add that choosing the right electronic components for automotive applications requires very careful consideration of a myriad of factors, which can be found in the following table:

Design for Reliability Techniques

To ensure the reliability of automotive electronics, engineers must employ solid Design for Reliability (DfR) techniques that aim to identify and mitigate potential failure modes early in the design process.

Circuit Simulation and Analysis

• Thermal Analysis: Analyzing the thermal behavior of the circuit is crucial to prevent overheating and component failures. Simulation tools can help identify hot spots and optimize the thermal design.
• Worst-Case Analysis: This technique involves analyzing circuit performance under the most extreme operating conditions to identify potential failure points.
• Fault Tree Analysis: This method systematically identifies potential failure modes and their contributing factors, allowing for proactive mitigation strategies.

Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

• Implementing redundancy in critical systems, such as using dual processors or redundant sensors, can improve system reliability by providing backup functionality in case of component failures.
• Fault-tolerant designs incorporate mechanisms to detect and isolate faults, allowing the system to continue operating with degraded performance until repairs can be made.

Aging and Degradation Mechanisms

• Understanding the aging and degradation mechanisms of electronic components is crucial for predicting their lifespan and designing for long-term reliability. Factors such as electromigration, dielectric breakdown, and thermal cycling can contribute to component degradation over time.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

• FMEA is a systematic approach to identifying potential failure modes, their effects, and their causes. It helps prioritize potential issues and develop mitigation strategies.

Design Verification and Validation

• Rigorous testing and validation throughout the design process are essential to ensure that the final product meets the required reliability and safety standards. This can include component-level testing, board-level testing, and system-level testing.

Accelerated Life Testing

• Accelerated life testing techniques, such as temperature cycling and burn-in testing, can be used to accelerate the aging process of components and predict their long-term reliability.

Predictive Maintenance

• Implementing predictive maintenance strategies, such as vibration analysis and thermography, can help identify potential failures before they occur, allowing for timely repairs and minimizing downtime.

Advanced Automotive Electronics Engineering

Adherence to the stringent automotive standards for electronics components is an absolute must for design teams if they intend to power sell safe, reliable vehicles that last a long time; these standards address many aspects, ranging from functional safety and lesser environmental impact to component reliability. For those who wish to excel in the provision of such components, implementing strong DfR techniques, carefully selecting materials and components, and using advanced tools like Altium 365 will help them to develop the highest quality automotive electronics that meet the demanding requirements of modern vehicles.

Altium 365 provides a cloud-based platform that offers a unique set of advantages for collaborative automotive electronics design:

• Allows design teams to collaborate without hindrance, no matter where members are in the world, working concurrently on projects, sharing real-time design data, and quickly reviewing and approving design changes.  
• Incorporates data management and version control capabilities that ensure the secure storage of design data in the cloud and make it easily accessible and traceable. This capability is fantastic for meeting the various traceability and compliance requirements of automotive standards.
• Provides access to a vast library of pre-verified components, including many suitable for automotive applications. The platform also facilitates efficient component management and makes the latest component data readily available to the design team.

This is just a small selection of features that improve the process. Learn more about cloud collaboration for automotive electronics design to accelerate development, ensure compliance, and streamline component sourcing.