The next generation of vehicles will generate, process, and communicate much more data than current vehicles. Wireless networking via mobile technologies (e.g., 5G, V2X) enables communication with other vehicles or with the surrounding infrastructure, as well as makes software updates over-the-air (OTA) possible.
At the same time, high current power will be transmitted within electrified cars. Today’s electric cars already have in excess 120 kW of engine power. The high-power levels required for this performance produce strong electromagnetic fields that require protection of nearby signal lines and electronic components against interference and malfunction (high data rates of up to 20 Gbits vs. high power).
Put simply, the physical layer will play a key role as the backbone of future vehicle functionality and ensuring its reliability. That means low-voltage data connectivity networks and high-voltage (HV) drive systems must work ultra-reliably and safely in parallel.