Future Mobility – What Really Moves Us

V2X Communication by Smart Connected Vehicles

Knight Rider of the future - Let your car talk

Vehicles networking with their environment will be another decisive factor towards higher leveled autonomous driving - not only for private use cases but also with regards to automation of freight and goods transportation. This paves the way towards even more optimized and scalable traffic systems. It would come along with a higher degree of safety, economy and sustainability. A computer-based logic would further avoid traffic jams, late deliveries, sudden train cancellations and finally accidents.

Real-time data exchange

Smart driving primarily refers to autonomous driving, which will turn the conventional vehicle into a mobile office, living and recreational space. The degree of how integrative a vehicle is becomes also essential in the context of smart cities. Based on information from their surroundings vehicles will decide themselves about routing, parking or turning around. Therefore data will constantly be collected, processed, evaluated and exchanged with all kinds of smart city applications over the air, in real-time.

Connectivity requires cooperation

The functionallity and efficiency of such multi-layered vehicles, devices and infrastructure require the expertise of a multitude of providers. Accordingly, at Rutronik the experienced staff of all product divisions, such as Automotive Business Unit (ABU), Embedded & Wireless, Sensors, Power, etc., work closely together to be able to offer future-oriented solutions especially for making a reliable connectivity work.

Advantages and applications

• A world free from road accidents
• Real-time traffic control
• Greater efficiency (routing, logistics, reduced travel time)
• Pollutant emissions go down
• Direct data exchange between vehicles and infrastructure

Intelligent Lighting: Adaptive Lighting Systems for Vehicles

Adaptive lighting systems for vehicles

The implementation of the first intelligent lighting concepts is no longer a novelty for modern industrial plants, residential buildings or municipalities. The advantages in terms of efficiency and safety are convincing in the short and long term. Accordingly, smart lights have also conquered vehicles and adapt to specific road, traffic and weather conditions.

Accident-free through the night

The quest for more safety in road traffic at night cannot simply be fulfilled with "more light" more likely with smarter light. Today, cars are equipped with sensor-based headlights that automatically dim in the presence of oncoming traffic. The next step is to network the headlights with the lighting in cities, for example.

A light goes on in the Smart City

Intelligent street lighting in cities is already controlled with daylight and motion sensors. When ambient light falls below a defined lux limit or motion is detected, they automatically switch on. In the future, for example, the data collected on ambient light could be transmitted to passing vehicles. The intensity of the headlights is then adjusted accordingly. If the vehicle leaves the urban area and thus the illuminated environment, the sensors in the headlights detect this and can adjust the brightness.

Better reactions through smart lighting

An optimal lighting concept that automatically and flexibly adapts to conditions in real-time also serves safe driving behavior - as long as vehicles remain at level 0 to 2. With optimal illumination in and around the vehicle, the human eye is more likely to recognize obstacles. Which technology achieves optimal and economically interesting results, especially for the automotive sector, Rutronik's product managers and field application engineers know best.

Advantages and applications

• Enhanced safety in road traffic
• Increased overall system efficiency

Fuel Cell Technology

Powerful, fast refueling and environmentally friendly with a small "but"

It sounds almost too simple to actually work: Hydrogen and oxygen react with each other in a similar way to reverse electrolysis, releasing energy that makes the engine of an electric car run. And without any harmful waste products, because - as we know from chemistry lessons: 2 H2 + O2 to 2 H2O.

This simple reaction is at the heart of Fuel Cell Technology, which is being developed as a realistic alternative to conventional combustion engines. Hydrogen is fed from high-pressure tanks into a polymer electrolyte membrane Fuel Cell Unit where the chemical reaction takes place.

Hydrogen or power socket?

Hydrogen-based vehicles have a better energy density than conventional combustion engines: the combustion value of hydrogen is three times higher than the energy content of diesel or gasoline. In addition, hydrogen is a quasi-infinite raw material. For users of H2 vehicles, rapid refueling is also an important point.

However, production and transport in particular pose a challenge, as these are associated with costly processes and, here too, a truly emission-free mobility concept can only be achieved through the exclusive use of renewable energy.

Use in the heavy duty segment

Fuel Cell Technology is currently only being pursued by some vehicle manufacturers for use in passenger vehicles. At present, a switch from diesel fuels to hydrogen is conceivable primarily for construction machinery, industrial and agricultural vehicles.

Reliable quality

To ensure that the energy released during the chemical reaction can be used efficiently and safely, special attention must be paid to the selection of the components used: AEC-Q200 conformity is just one of many essential points that Rutronik's portfolio fulfills.

Advantages and applications

• Use in heavy industrial vehicles
• Passenger transport use
• Use in the fuel production
• Zero emissions
• High range
• Short refueling time
• High efficiency compared to combustion engines

Electric Vehicle Charging Systems

Convenient, safe and fast

Establishing electric vehicles also depends on a user-friendly, safe, ecologically and economically feasible charging infrastructure. Yet, there is not that "one system" for all requirements. Both in and out of town, fast-charging stations are more likely to be available, while at domestic charging stations there is usually more time to recharge the batteries.

Different charging stations have different requirements: In general, however, they must be small and light, the inverter needs to provide high power, and the charging process needs to be fast. The power electronics used in these systems have to ensure high power density, low cooling effort and reduced system size.

Challenges for EV Charging

• Thermal Management: Essential for fast charging stations, because of the high power density, which is especially needed at public charging stations. Liquid cooling is the technique of choice and established standard for overcoming thermal issues.
• Size matters: Chargers must also be small and convenient. Higher switching frequencies are used to save space and reduce the size of magnetic components

Innovation-driven and BOM-oriented

Rutronik offers unique expertise in e-mobility and with thier partners, they are able to provide innovative solutions for increasing the efficiency and performance of electric vehicle charging applications and enabling customers to optimize costs.

Advantages and applications

• Optimization of the charging infrastructure
• Faster charging times
• User-friendly, safe, ecologically and economically feasible charging infrastructure
• Increasing the efficiency and performance of electric vehicle charging applications

High Voltage Power Net in Electric Mobility

Different levels of power

Power electronic systems are key components for any hybrid or electric vehicle because they will have up to three different voltage levels:

• A 12 V electrical system for small actuators and all control units,
• A 48 V electrical system for larger power consumers such as water pumps, EPS or radiator fans, and
• A 400 to 800 V electrical system that contains the battery pack and the largest consumers such as the inverter, the high-voltage heater, the OBC, the HV/LV DC/DC and the HVAC.

Especially the latter requires a maximum of safety and reliability for all installed components.

Exclusively at Rutronik: Reference design for high-voltage disconnectors

In order to be able to offer a custom-fit solution for the challenges in the high-voltage sector, the specialists for e-mobility from Rutronik's Automotive Business Unit (ABU) and Vishay's Automotive Division have realized a reference design for a high-voltage (HV) circuit breaker with a maximum breaking capacity of 40 kW. This replaces previous options that used mechanical relays with an intelligent, resettable and low-loss semiconductor solution.

Silicon carbide MOSFETs open up a wide range of possibilities in electrical energy supply

SiC MOSFETs impress with their higher efficiency, lower power dissipation and up to ten times higher switching speeds. Another advantage of silicon carbide is the larger bandgap, which supports up to ten times stronger electric fields, and the better thermal conductivity, which manifests itself in up to three times higher energy density.

Especially in power supply applications for charging units for electric and hybrid vehicles and in drive technology, this can reduce volume and weight by up to 60 %. Rutronik disposes of products from exquisite manufacturers who continue to drive development in the field of SiC MOSFETs.

Advantages and applications

• Highest efficiency compared to combustion engines and hydrogen-powered vehicles
• Emission-free operating
• Quiet drive with high torque
• Weight and volume reduction

48 V Power Net

48 V - Still a good investment?

The trend towards plug-in hybrids and pure e-vehicles for the development of environmentally friendly and economical mobility concepts is unbroken. In this context, the question arises: Does the integration of 48 V technology still make sense at all? The answer is "yes". Cost-effective mild hybrid vehicles powered by a 48 V voltage level are capable of complying with the currently applicable CO2 limits and reducing fuel consumption. 48 V technology is an entry-level hybrid for volume segments and forms the necessary bridge between conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines and battery-electric high-voltage vehicles.

Among other advantages in application scenarios, it enables regenerative braking, intermediate storage of energy in battery packs and capacitors, and subsequent electrical support of conventional combustion engines. These measures can already reduce consumption and emissions by a low double-digit percentage. The required components required are available at Rutronik.

Urban mobility with 48 V

Especially in urban areas, a 30 kW powertrain is an interesting solution for short-range or occasional overland trips. In this operating cycle, a 48 V BEV powertrain is approximately 25% cheaper than a HV 400 V BEV powertrain.

Electrically powered commercial vehicles based on 48 V are already on the market. Postal vehicles are even capable of a payload of up to 1,000 kg. Motorbikes and e-scooters with 48 V technology are also becoming increasingly established. Some of them even offer replaceable battery systems.

All these vehicles can be realized with applications that have already been or are being developed for mild hybrid cars. These include batteries with a battery management system (BMS), inverters, DC/DC converters and auxiliary units.

Advantages and applications

• Cost-effective entry-level hybrid for volume segments
• Reducing full consumption
• Compliance with applicable CO2 standards
• Enables regenerative braking
• Storage of energy in battery packs and capacitors
• Electrical support of conventional combustion engines