Automakers are incorporating more multifunctional capabilities into automobiles as they seek to make autonomous driving a reality. Electronic control units (ECUs) for advanced driver assistance systems are consuming more power, and the latest trend is toward ECU integration—installing an ECU close to the engine room or other working part.

The evolution of sensing technology and communication network contribute to the realization of Autonomous driving society and its growth. In association with full-scale expansion of the "5G service" next-generation wireless communication standard, great attention is being placed on wireless technology intended for "vehicle-to-vehicle and infrastructure-to-vehicle communication" (V2X) to communicate data between automobiles and their surroundings. While the TDK Group can offer a lineup of various electronic components for V2X, this article introduces a selection of IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and high-frequency products for Telematics Control Units (TCUs).

With the increasing speed and sophistication of interfaces in cars, the PoC (Power over Coax) approach is gaining in popularity, as it allows superimposing signals and power in one coaxial cable, for example for LVDS based automotive camera systems. A PoC filter consisting of one or more inductors and chip beads is used on the circuit side to separate the signal and the power supply current. This is important in terms of maintaining communication quality. The PoC filter therefore requires inductors that realize high impedance for AC components over a wide bandwidth range from low to high frequencies.

The demand for high-speed automotive onboard interfaces is increasing, with a view towards supporting driving safety, reducing the environmental load, and improving comfort. For bidirectional communication, the automotive Ethernet format is commonly used, while LVDS is the choice for one-way communication. With LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling), the preferred approach is to also adopt the PoC (Power over Coax) method that enables transmission of the signal and power supply over a single coaxial cable, thereby reducing the weight of wire harnesses in the car. This page describes usage examples and effects of inductors and chip beads specifically recommended for PoC filter applications.

We are transitioning from an age where people drive cars to an age where people provide mobility services and utilize autonomous driving capability. As a consequence, the number of electronic parts used in cars is steadily rising. If even a single component fails, a specific function may be impaired, which as a result, severe performance requirements are placed on the components reliability. TDK provides high frequency power inductors for automotive applications that are designed for outstanding reliability to reduce failure risks – HPL series, TFM series, and BCL series.

As electronic devices become more advanced, the power supply voltage of LSIs used in them is lowered, so their power consumption can be reduced and their speed increased. However, a decrease in the power supply voltage also causes the requirements regarding voltage fluctuations to become more severe, creating a need for high-performance DC-DC converters to fulfill these characteristic requirements, and power inductors are important components that greatly affect their performance. TDK has a widely varied lineup of power inductor products, and this article describes and explains effective methods for using power inductors, and key points for selecting them, according to the required characteristics of DC-DC converters.