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A Global Market Review Of Vehicle Exterior Electronics, 2nd Edition
just-auto, Oct 2004, Pages: 51
The electrical and electronic content of cars continues its upward trajectory. Already estimated at a quarter of the content value of vehicles, it is felt that by 2010 some 40% of a vehicles cost base will be accounted for by its electrical power and control systems.
Replacing mechanical connections
So far as body engineering is concerned, this increase is being driven by a number of different dynamics, which can be broadly split into the two sectors of ecology and safety. The former is geared to providing the optimum fuel efficiency from an engine, allied to the sometimes-incompatible need to minimise harmful or undesirable compound gas emissions. The latter is a broader-still spectrum, which encompasses such elements as suspension and braking stability, speed-distance control systems, and advanced steering systems.
At the same time that electrical and electronic content is being increased, there is a symbiotic demand from auto makers to reduce the kerb weight of vehicles, and one way that this is being achieved is by increasing the amount of electrical/electronic control in place of mechanical connections. Replacing the traditional mechanical-hydraulic power steering pump with an electronically controlled, electrically actuated power assistance unit reduces engine load, but more significantly reduces not just vehicle sprung weight but also reduces complexity of installation on the production line.
Mandated physical linkages
Was it not for a mandated requirement for the steering wheel to be physically connected to the road wheels, it would be possible to take the technology a stage further, and eliminate the steering column linkage. Similar legal requirements are in place, which constrain the amount of development allowed in braking systems, which at present must retain physical connection between the driver and vehicle hubs.
Benefits of increased electronic control
Whilst there is much to be said for the weight that can be shed and efficiency which can be increased from the adoption of electronics, there must at the same time be an economic advantage to the carmaker which acts to at least compensate for the additional costs involved. This can be achieved in part by the improved packaging of sub-assemblies by external suppliers - which makes for easier stock control and increased ease of installation - and also by allowing reductions in lead time accorded to designers and engineers.
A further benefit of moving to increased electronic control of functions and systems is that it allows automakers to increase the degree of outsourcing involved in each sub-assembly, which can again reduce the in-house element of new programme development costs. It has been unofficially estimated that each hour saved in the period from Job One to On Sale dates can be broadly equated to one dollar off the showroom sticker price of a mid-range new car model.
Finally, increased electronic control allows model specification differentiations to be made quickly and easily; by simply adjusting the control software the level of functionality in any given system can be adjusted to suit the range position and price point of specific models, providing the bare minimum in entry-level vehicles and full functionality in high-series cars.
Role of the sub-contractor
This increased reliance on supplied-in sub-assemblies places increasing importance on the role of Tier One and Tier Two sub-contractors, and allows those organisations to work both separately and together to provide increasingly sophisticated responses to the demands of the industry as a whole. This means not just the designers and engineers, but also the marketing organisations, the cost control units and the other elements that help make up the whole. Even consumer organisations can be included in the picture, as they, whether as safety campaigners or as bargain hunters, have a role to play in today’s auto industry.
As a consequence of this increased reliance on sub-contractors there is scope for organisations that have hitherto had little or no involvement in the auto manufacturing process to become active. This is especially true of microprocessor manufacturers and software houses, which have begun to sniff the scent of business opportunities that exist in the automotive industry.
Report coverage
This report represents just-autos latest independent analysis of automotive electronics, and covers the following vehicle areas: 42v, engines, hybrid and electric vehicles, remote diagnostics, transmissions, braking, suspension, steering and lighting. It concludes with brief profiles of the major systems suppliers, namely: Aisin Seiki, Bosch, Continental, Delphi, Denso, Mitsubishi Electrical Automotive, Motorola, Ricardo, Siemens VDO, SY Technologies, TRW Automotive, Valeo, Visteon
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