Brose develops integrated door control unit

Automotive megatrends like automated driving, vehicle connectivity with its environment and new functionalities are pushing conventional control electronics in cars to the limits. Now, new generation of Brose control units will integrate all door functions from the window regulator to collision protection. This will cut costs, save space and reduce weight while enabling new functions such as noise canceling.

A simple gesture, and the side door opens automatically. A radar sensor scans the environment to prevent any collisions. While driving, monitors in the doors show the image from the side cameras in real time. At the same time, passengers inside the vehicle enjoy a quiet ride thanks to the speaker control, which besides active noise canceling also enhances the sound of the infotainment system.

Brose says it is making it possible to experience the future of mobility with its electronic competence. One of the greatest challenges is analyzing sensor data or transmitting image signals – something that pushes conventional electrical and electronics architectures to their limits as large volumes of data need to be transmitted and processed without any noticeable delay. Solving this problem with a central processing unit requires long cable routes, which increases costs and latencies.

Brose says this is the reason why it is developing a new generation of door control units that processes all functions in the door locally – and it includes innovative approaches such as voice recognition in the vicinity of the vehicle as well as preprocessing of all received antenna signals. A single broadband line connects directly to the central control unit, saving space and costs by eliminating more than 30 cables in the door interface.

With its 33 years of experience in electronics, the family-owned company has the in-house expertise to integrate all functions into the entire system, thereby further reducing the technical and financial expenditure for OEMs. The first all-in-one door control unit could go into series production as early as 2025.

Brose will be showcasing this as well as its latest products at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt  from 12–22 September, at Stand D01/D02 in Hall 4.0.