An interesting trend
we've seen in the last
two or three years is
the subsidiary suppliers
developing off-the-
shelf offerings."
This new approach to final assembly will profoundly
impact quality. Electrical systems cause more than
half of all automotive faults
8
, and some of these
faults are due to problems in the wiring harness.
Many wiring errors can be ascribed to the manual
assembly of vehicle harness systems, and the
financial impact of associated warranty claims should
not be underestimated.
One major advantage of using robots in vehicle
manufacture is consistency. The use of automation in
both harness building and final assembly will improve
the reliability of electrical systems. A reduction in
wiring faults will have a measurable monetary impact
for automotive manufacturers.
Connectivity in Zonal Architecture
Connectors will play an important role in the adoption
of zonal architecture. The automotive environment
is unforgiving, and connectors are subjected to
the toughest conditions. Connections between
components are exposed to water, temperature
extremes, and physical stresses. Even within
enclosures, components must stay mated when
C h a p t e r 2 | D e s i g n i n g f o r N e w A r c h i t e c t u r e s
Daniel Leih
Product Marketing Manager, USB & Networking Business Unit,
Microchip Technology Inc.
14
Zonal Architecture: Delivering New Standards of Connectivity for Automotive and Beyond
