Secure Connectors Rev Up Automotive Safety
As automotive manufacturing advances, high-speed, press-fit, and other connector technologies evolve to meet current industry demands.
Today’s cars are essentially high-end computers on wheels. A decade ago, vehicle electronics centered on basics like power windows, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), and satellite radio. Today’s cars contain a full suite of safety, comfort, and convenience features such as lane detection, blind spot alerts, 360° cameras, heated steering wheels, and parking assist. These technologies rely on sophisticated interconnects that gather and process data, much of it coming from optical cameras, sensors, lidar, and radar. High-speed, secure connectors manage the data demands and protect signal integrity, while press-fit technology provides security and robustness.
Ensuring a high quality, reliable signal
Cameras and sensors around the vehicle constantly take in data. This data is processed in real- time by in-vehicle software, which instructs the vehicle to activate automated functions or conveys information to the driver, such as an alert when another vehicle is in the driver’s blind spot. The system may also display graphics, like a map for GPS or a live image of the area around the car.
While high-speed secure connectors are ideal for managing the flow of data, press-fit connectors are better suited for getting the data from the control module to the main computer or to a gateway security platform, Jacobi explained. “Extreme robustness is required especially on safety-related aspects, which is where press-fit is a requirement, as the field failure analysis is the safest of all connection types.”
Press-fit technology has been an automotive staple for decades and is specified by USCAR (United States Council for Automotive Research). In addition to the functions already mentioned, press-ft is used in the engine controller for fuel injection and ignition, as well as control of turbochargers, monitoring exhaust gas values, and the monitoring of start/stop systems. The electrical-mechanical connections are made with controlled force, as the pins have a slightly larger diameter than the holes in the PCB. As pressure is applied, the holes deform slightly and the flexible interior of the connector’s terminals absorb the force. This process of cold welding creates a stable atomic lattice that allows electricity to pass through. It is similar to thermal welding, but without introducing heat that could damage the PCB and nearby electronics. As a solder-free option, it eliminates soldering defects and flux residues.
