Design Article
Top 10 automotive electronics stories of 2012
Brian Fuller
12/17/2012 8:00 PM EST
Racing revolution
After 50 years of using and improving the beloved carburetor, NASCAR went in a new direction in 2012, mandating fuel injection systems in race cars for the first time through a partnership with Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and McLaren Electronic Systems Ltd.
NASCAR tested the technology during the 2011 season and kicked off the new system at NASCAR's very first 2012 race, the Daytona 500. Since the Daytona 500 is one of the most-watched automotive races, the pressure was immense on McLaren and Freescale engineers to have their system perform flawlessly.
"It (the change) was about competition on the track," said Steve Nelson director of marketing for the Americas at Freescale. "When you change the competition--introduce a new golf ball or whatever--changing that introduces risk. How is it going to work out?"
At the end of the 2012 NASCAR, Nelson and Dr. Peter van Manen, managing director at McLaren Electronic Systems, talked to EE Times about the design and how the systems performed in a race conditions.
What's next for automotive electronics in racing? Believe it or not, the tail's wagging the dog: the power-efficient fuel sources and architectures that Detroit has adopted for commercial vehicles are making their way quickly into, for example, Formula One.
Next: Driverless cars
After 50 years of using and improving the beloved carburetor, NASCAR went in a new direction in 2012, mandating fuel injection systems in race cars for the first time through a partnership with Freescale Semiconductor Inc. and McLaren Electronic Systems Ltd.
NASCAR tested the technology during the 2011 season and kicked off the new system at NASCAR's very first 2012 race, the Daytona 500. Since the Daytona 500 is one of the most-watched automotive races, the pressure was immense on McLaren and Freescale engineers to have their system perform flawlessly.
"It (the change) was about competition on the track," said Steve Nelson director of marketing for the Americas at Freescale. "When you change the competition--introduce a new golf ball or whatever--changing that introduces risk. How is it going to work out?"
At the end of the 2012 NASCAR, Nelson and Dr. Peter van Manen, managing director at McLaren Electronic Systems, talked to EE Times about the design and how the systems performed in a race conditions.
What's next for automotive electronics in racing? Believe it or not, the tail's wagging the dog: the power-efficient fuel sources and architectures that Detroit has adopted for commercial vehicles are making their way quickly into, for example, Formula One.
Next: Driverless cars
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GREAT-Terry
12/17/2012 9:50 PM EST
EV and driverless are good trend and opportunities for electronics!
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Brian Fuller2
12/19/2012 12:36 PM EST
What would readers add to the list? Let us know!
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EdA_#1
1/2/2013 8:41 AM EST
I'd say the Tesla Model S winning Motor Trend COTY would be my #1. Perhaps that makes the 2013 list?
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oemcargps
1/26/2013 2:30 AM EST
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crisslo
2/4/2013 9:48 PM EST
Back in 1960, when I was a young EE, I was told then there was a great more energy storage capability in a tablespoon of gasoline than in a typical car lead acid battery.
Question to anyone out there. Where are we now as to the gasoline tablespoon vs the car lead acid battery?
To me that is the bottom line as to 100% electric cars ---- the batteries. So far I am for the hybrid approach for electric cars.
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