ICs with embedded 'intelligence' manage in-car processes

28th November 2018

Bosch Group

Lanna Deamer

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System ICs are Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) designed to meet special requirements in vehicle systems. They are integrated on a single silicon chip measuring only a few square millimetres, and house complex circuits with up to several million individual electronic functions. Bosch introduced four system-ICs at electronica 2018. A chip for EVs will shut off the power in the event of an accident, ensuring safety for driver and passengers and enable rescuers to work without being put in danger.

Semiconductors make electric cars safer in an accident
Pure electric or hybrid vehicles are equipped with special batteries that provide power to the electric motor at high voltages of 400-800V. For safety reasons, these high voltage batteries, power electronics and their electrical wiring are designed to be highly robust.

Nevertheless, the question of how secure a high voltage battery is in the event of an accident is of vital concern to both the vehicle's occupants as well as any rescue workers.

To prevent these persons from coming into contact with high voltage, while at the same time eliminating the risk of a vehicle fire, it must be possible to completely isolate the battery from the vehicle’s electrical system.

During an accident, so-called 'pyro fuses' blow out sections of the electrical wiring to the high voltage battery by means of a small explosive charge, so that the circuit is interrupted quickly and effectively.

Here, Bosch semiconductors play a crucial role: The integrated circuit CG912 can, as a part of the battery management, fire up to four pyro fuses in the battery wiring in the event of an accident. This mitigates the risk of electrical shock when touching the vehicle’s chassis.

In addition, this special IC can also provide power to the battery management. Bosch’s CG912 was originally developed for deploying airbags and has been proven in the field a million times over.

System ICs are truly versatile. They provide stable supply voltages, read sensor data, process information and drive actuators - in real time. The new oxygen sensor evaluation IC CJ138 offers, in comparison to its predecessors, extended options for adapting an engine control unit to a wide range of oxygen sensors, as well as accurate sensor cable diagnostic for short circuit or interruption.

The highly integrated transmission IC CG270 precisely controls up to ten hydraulic valves in automatic transmissions and allows the design of more compact control units for modern multi-stage transmissions. CG135 is a transmission IC that monitors the supply voltages in a transmission control unit and prevents the transmission from being damaged in the event of a fault.