Beyond Design: The Fundamental Structure of Spectral Integrity
Elementary, Mr. Watson: High Power: When Physics Becomes Real
The Shaughnessy Report: Watt About Power Integrity?
The Shaughnessy Report: Car Talk
October 7, 2015 | Andy Shaughnessy, PCB Design007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
My girlfriend Rita doesn’t like to drive in traffic. As an Atlanta resident, this is a problem for her, because Atlanta has some of the worst traffic jams in the U.S. (I think it’s worse than Los Angeles; I’ve never sat for three hours in the same spot in LA.) So, after her last motoring miscue, she bought a new Mazda 3—the cheapest car Mazda makes—but it’s tricked out with every anti-collision feature available.
Now, it’s almost impossible for Rita to trade paint. Hit the turn signal when another car is passing, and all kinds of alarms go off. If you drift over and touch the yellow line on either side, the car starts beeping like crazy. If the car ahead of you slows down when cruise control is engaged, the car applies the brakes automatically and keeps you a certain number of car lengths behind Mr. Slowpoke. And if the reverse video doesn’t do the trick, the car starts beeping if you’re about to back out in front of a vehicle that you can’t see.
Yes, I poked fun at Rita for having all of these countermeasures beeping and pinging, but they work great. You can even turn them off, which I would do if I had to drive her car for any length of time.
Plus, the entertainment system has a great GUI; you feel like you’re sitting in your couch at home, flipping through the channels. You barely have to take your eyes off the road (or the handy speedometer in the heads up display) to find another CD on your phone’s Bluetooth, which is the point.
All of these electronic features come at a price, though: about $5,000, in this case. But we’re willing to shell out extra cash for features that will make us feel safe, or offer us greater convenience or entertainment.
Yes, the automotive electronics segment has exploded. Early cars didn’t have much in the way of electronics. Even in 1950, electronics made up only 1% of a car’s cost. (That was probably just the Philco AM radio.) But that figure is expected to hit 35% in 2020, and 50% in 2030. The global automotive electronics market is forecast to hit $314.4 billion by 2020, and that means a whole lot of PCBs.
And that’s where we come in! This issue of The PCB Design Magazine features a cover story “Automotive Systems Design: a Support Engineer’s Perspective,” written by Monica Andrei of Continental Automotive Systems. As a design support engineer, she supports 1,700 PCB designers across dozens of countries, speaking a variety of languages. In this article, Andrei explains in detail how Continental transitioned from a traditional PCB design structure to a true systems design approach.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the September 2015 issue of The PCB Design Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Laurette T. Koellner Rejoins Celestica’s Board of Directors
10/28/2025 | Celestica Inc.Celestica Inc., a global leader in data center infrastructure and advanced technology solutions, announced that Laurette T. Koellner has rejoined its Board of Directors.
Road to Reliability: Mapping the EV Landscape: Markets, Platforms, and Powertrains
10/28/2025 | Stanton Rak, SF Rak Companye-Mobility is the defining transformation of 21st-century transportation. As legacy OEMs, startups, and governments race to electrify vehicle fleets, the landscape of e-Mobility is expanding into previously unimaginable territory. But with innovation comes complexity, and with complexity, a need for systems that are not only high-performing but also reliably engineered for the long haul. Understanding the diversity and scale of the EV marketplace is essential to grasping the reliability challenges ahead. From compact urban commuters to heavy-duty trucks and city buses, each category of EV presents distinct performance demands and environmental challenges that shape both the design of its electronics and the manufacturing processes behind them.
China Plus One: Vietnam and Thailand Manufacturing Solutions
10/28/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineAs U.S. electronics manufacturing companies continue to weigh the “China Plus One” solution as they strategize how best to mitigate the ever-increasing pressures and costs of manufacturing in China, several of these global markets continue to see significant growth in their electronics sectors. Of course, India is among them and was the focus of SMT007 last month. Also among these burgeoning markets are Thailand and Vietnam. One has infrastructure and a more established history of success in manufacturing. The other has a much larger number of eager, young workers. In this article, I break down the pros and cons of each market, including a look at U.S. tariffs and how each country is addressing a significant skilled labor gap to support their electronics manufacturing goals.
Saab Q3 2025 Results: Delivering Sustained Growth
10/28/2025 | SaabOrder bookings for the third quarter amounted to SEK 20,861m (21,173), with strong growth in medium-sized orders.
Plexus Announces Fiscal Q4, Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results
10/27/2025 | Plexus Corp.Plexus Corp announced financial results for our fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 27, 2025, and guidance for our fiscal first quarter ending January 3, 2026.