Dear Sir/Madam

Highlights of this issue include a Design Feature on Testing the FlexRay automotive bus and a neat automotive design idea from Michigan-based National Semiconductor engineer Kevin Daugherty for automotive switching regulators. And don’t forget to check out the conference program for the International Automotive Electronics Congress to be held in Paris (3-4 November 2008) and research on profiling automotive electronics markets and suppliers from now until 2010.

Editor EPN

At-a-Glance, in this issue

1. Products News 2. Articles 3. Design Ideas 4. Events 5. Research & Analysis

1| Product News

Flash vehicle programming cryptographics protect against tampering
To assure that Flash programming of ECUs (electronic control units) is protected against tampering, German automotive-system integrator Vector Informatik is incorporating cryptographic algorithms into its bootloaders. The company is relying on the use of this tested technology of cryptographic algorithms, which supports security mechanisms required by car manufacturers for software updates.
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Silent Detect Switch wide-angle and radial actuation
The KSJ series of single-pole, single-throw, silent detect switch has a variety of orientations. The devices feature high actuation tolerances along with linear operation during actuation with no tactile effect. As an automotive-grade product, typical applications for the series include retractable dashboard-LCD end-of-stroke detection, defroster positioning in HVAC rotating buttons, and passenger-airbag switches.
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Power Inductors built with flexible terminations
The VLF12060/80 power inductors from TDK feature a new physical design that accommodates the effects of temperature variation for improved reliability in harsh environments, such as automotive. When subjected to temperature variation, a PCB will experience a change in physical dimensions, as will any components placed on that board.
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FlexRay automotive software for the Infiniium series oscilloscopes
Agilent Technologies launched a measurement application that provides comprehensive FlexRay triggering, protocol-decode, debug and eye-diagram-analysis capabilities for its Infiniium series of oscilloscopes. This measurement solution allows automotive designers who use embedded microprocessors to verify proper signal integrity of their FlexRay signals and effectively debug protocol and signal-integrity issues.
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NXP adopts Cortex-M3 for low-power MCUs
Later in 2008, NXP will introduce several new microcontroller series based on the ARM Cortex-M3 processor, for designers working in a range of application areas including consumer, industrial, medical and automotive systems. The controllers will include a Memory Accelerator Module (MAM) for embedded high-speed flash memory, as well as support for Ethernet and other communications peripherals such as USB and CAN.
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2| Articles

Testing the FlexRay automotive bus
For the most demanding automotive communications applications, designers are moving away from using CAN, operating at 50 kbps, and towards FlexRay, operating at 10 Mbps. The integrity of automotive communications systems becomes paramount in areas such as collision avoidance, steering and braking. FlexRay’s designers developed this bus to address the specific challenges that arise in this “drive-by-wire” environment.
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FPGAs reach for new application spaces
Programmable-logic vendors have always gone to market with a message centred on—among other aspects—flexibility and low up-front design costs. On top of that come targeted IP offerings, performance metrics that are more than a match for most applications, and a growing confidence in the sector’s ability to secure design wins for programmable technology in areas such as automotive design and cellular basestations.
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3| Design Ideas

Automotive switching regulators get input-transient-voltage protection
Engineers often face difficult trade-offs in cases where voltage regulators might encounter high voltage transients that are well above normal input-supply operating ranges. This situation is common in automotive applications in which high-voltage transients from an alternator load dump can produce transients of 36 to 75V for durations as long as 400 msec.
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Driver Recorders Boost Safety
The aims of flight-data recorders are well-known, but there is no longer any reason why the advantages of recording parameters and events of an accident couldn't be applied to a car or truck.
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4| Events

International Automotive Electronics Congress, Paris, 3-4 November 2008
This 2 days top level conference will provide you invaluable information on  strategic opportunities, emerging applications, and market trends of the sector but also  technological information on research, integration, interfacing, and engineering problems of these latest innovations. In order to be as close to the concerns of the sector as possible, we have created this conference programme with key companies from the automotive industry including Renault, PSA, valeo, Bosch to name a few. We also want to thank the SIA French Society of Automotive Enginneers that organised the 2 workshops dedicated to the European Competitive Clusters.
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5| Research & Analysis

Automotive Electronics - A Profile of International Markets & Suppliers to 2010
The seventh edition of "Automotive Electronics – A Profile of International Markets and Suppliers " analyses the market for non-entertainment electronic systems within passenger cars to 2010. It provides an independent, high-level strategic analysis of the technology, applications, markets, forecasts (value and market penetration) and supply companies on a global basis. Twenty-four major suppliers are profiled including detailed information on their operations, mergers/acquisitions/strategic alliances, product development and leading financial indicators.
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