Eberspaecher develops new safety switch for autonomous vehicles

The electronics experts from Eberspaecher Controls Landau have worked to develop intelligent switching systems for safe separation and connection of the complex on-board circuits in autonomous vehicles.

In fully automated vehicles, the Battery and Boardnet Safety Module provides for intelligent distribution of current and ensures a reliable power supply for safety-relevant components. As vehicles become more autonomous the larger the number of electrical components – Control devices, sensors, actuators –the architecture of the electrical system become more complex.

The component major says the vehicles of the future will not only have several energy sources, but also several different electrical system sections. For this it is working on new products that will ensure that these sub-circuits can be safely connected with each other and separated from each other.

Commenting on the development, Dr Massimo Venturi, General Manager, Eberspaecher says : “With our intelligent switching systems we focus on our core area of competence, namely fast and reliable separation of electrical circuits, and develop it to address the needs of tomorrow’smobility.”

The first batches of vehicles complying with automation level 3 of the SAE (SAE J3016 standard) have entered production. In such vehicles, the driver is required to act in certain situations, but does not have to monitor the system continuously.

It says these vehicles are using the Eberspaecher’s Autonomous Driving Safety Switch (ADSS). The bidirectional circuit breaker used in 12 volt electrical systems with at least two sources of energy for level 3 or 4 autonomous driving – up to 20-fold depending on the number of safety-relevant consumers. If voltage surges or sags occur, the switch will separate the two sections of the electrical system so that safety-relevant functions such as braking and electrical steering assistance are secured. It has an integrated overcurrent detection feature, and depending on what the customer requires it is supplied as an ASIL Level B or ASIL Level D device. The latter covers the highest safety requirements for development, testing, documentation and functionality.

Fully Autonomous Vehicles

Eberspaecher also has products for fully automated vehicles with high-voltage/low-voltage on-board circuits: the Battery and Boardnet Safety Module (BBSM), designed for compliance with the future SAE Level 5 requirements.  That requires no human intervention and therefore no driver is required. The BBSM provides a solution for intelligent power distribution and reliable provision of power to safety-relevant components in fully redundant electrical systems that reacts within a maximum of 100 microseconds after a fault state occurs, the system separates the high-voltage DC/DC converter from the 12 volt circuit section.

In addition to the lithium battery, this includes safety-relevant consumers such as actuators and sensors as well as the central control unit. BBSM consists of several battery and electrical system circuit disconnectors and an ASIL D classified combination of a microcontroller and system basis chip. It also develops the complex control software individually for each customer. 

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