EPN Automotive Electronics Blog

In the aftermarket

Modern cars are practically heaps of electronic components, and various interfaces allow for diagnostic access of the subsystems. One of the consequences is that it has become increasingly difficult to conduct even small repairs yourself, another is a booming service tools market. A market everyone wants a share of.

Testing ECUs

Modern cars consist of dozens of electronic control units. This modular architecture facilitates development and manufacturing as well as after-sales service. Even testing isn’t too hard, except when it comes to interactions between the modules. At that point, functional testing needs to go hand in hand with communications analysis.

Approved CAN bus coupler

In order to ensure reliable operation of motor vehicles on the road, German law requires a motor vehicle type approval (Allgemeine Betriebs-Erlaubnis, ABE) – also referred to as »e1« approval – for all components that are connected to the vehicle's electrical system. This is required even for the most unspectacular components.

Bienvenue en France!

For a better positioning and to solidify growth in embedded systems, the German Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik, is joining the French Assystem Group. The agreement stipulates that Berner & Mattner is being integrated into the Assystem Group as an independent unit and without any change in either staff or organization.

CAN node à la carte

It may look like a mixture of an old-fashioned beeper and some gadget for taxi drivers and is none of those. The CAN bus remote controller »neoVI-MOTE«, developed by Intrepid Control Systems and distributed by Hitex Development Tools, is supposed to make working with the  CAN bus  easier.

Safety for Safety

Camera systems have become an important automotive safety component, typically combining multiple camera modules with advanced image analysis to help drivers monitor road conditions, detect hazards and avoid collisions. These cameras need to be controlled with as less as possible delay and the transmitted data has to be checked for safety and security reasons, so fast and reliable connections are mandatory.

A tiny controller in a big car

More electronics, increasingly complex software: Modern cars are embedded systems on wheels. While communication between ECUs (Electronic control units) and other on-board systems has become more or less standardized with bus systems like CAN, LIN and sometimes already MOST and Flexray , there are still many proprietary communication solutions in the powertrain area.

Joint measurement

Ipetronik has found a new partner for amperometry: The manufacturer of automotive measurement technology has negotiated a worldwide cooperation agreement with Stuttgart-based Stefan Klaric GmbH & Co. KG.

Joint diagnostics

Independent garages or car repair shops have been complaining about the multitude of electronic devices in modern vehicles since the first microcontroller entered a crucial car system. It took a bit longer for FPGAs, communication buses and similar technology to gain a foothold in commercial vehicles, but now electronics is there as well. Whoever thought car diagnostics has become difficult has never looked inside a modern truck repair station.