Often referred to as the "father of automotive electronics," Jerry Rivard pioneered the use of electronic fuel injection and microprocessor control in automobiles during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. He started his career as a designer of automatic transmissions for General Motors, served as a manager of the Vehicle Controls Division for Bendix Research Laboratories during the 1960s, and acted as director of engineering for Bendix's Electronic Fuel Injection Division from 1971 to '76. He was chief engineer for Ford Motor Co.'s Electrical and Electronics Division and vice president and group executive for Allied Signal, Inc..
In the past two decades, electronics have gone from a non-existent entity to a key technology that now accounts for more than 20% of the cost of an automobile. Some of today's luxury vehicles are said to incorporate as many as 100 microcontrollers, and automakers are looking to add Internet and e-mail capabilities in the near future.
DESIGN NEWS/EDN: It's not unusual for a luxury vehicle to incorporate 80, 90, or even 100 microcontrollers today. Will that number continue to grow, or will engineers find ways to integrate the electronics?
RIVARD: The number of microprocessors is part of a natural technological evolution. Back in the 1980s, automotive people were primarily mechanical engineers. They were component people. They didn't look at the car as a system. To the contrary, they fought each other bitterly. It was very territorial. But now, very slowly, the need for a systems approach is being recognized by the automotive companies. And that should result in a more integrated electronics system. I'm not saying that you'll end up with one monumental computer in the vehicle. That wouldn't work; if something went wrong, the customer would end up spending $3,000 to get it fixed. But you're going to see the computers getting combined more. For example, a body computer could consist of several systems that aren't safety-related. And you could combine the braking, steering, ABS, and stability control systems in a chassis computer. The engine and transmission could be combined in another computer. It just makes sense to integrate systems that use the same sensors and have similar reliability requirements.
Q: What can engineers do to foster that concept of the vehicle as a total system?
A: There's still a gap between Silicon Valley thinking and automotive industry thinking. Right now, you're not getting the best of the electronics world because the dialogue between automotive people and Silicon Valley people isn't good. Together, the two industries need to spend more time looking at the vehicle as a total system, and then designing microprocessors to optimize that system. The bottom line is that the executives from both industries need to close the gap.
Q: Are there any areas of automotive electronics that seem ripe for breakthroughs?
A: The whole area of automotive handling will be a golden opportunity. The technology is there to control the suspension so that the driver always has optimal traction. Given the capabilities we have now, there should never be a rollover in vehicles. If you put the right kind of electronic system in a vehicle, it can think for the driver. The sensors can see if someone is going too hard into a curve. They can slow the vehicle, apply the appropriate braking, and make sure it stays on the road.
Q: Isn't the bigger question whether drivers will
the vehicle take control?
A: You'll always have the people who envision themselves as race car drivers, who say, "No one is taking control of my vehicle. "But if the auto companies don't take this upon themselves, they run the risk of letting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration legislate it. It would look better if the carmakers did it themselves.
Q: A lot of engineers today are still resisting the idea of 42-volt electrical architectures. Is 42 volts really so important to the future of the automobile, or are the naysayers right?
A: Forty-two volts is tremendously important. Today's average cars use about 2 - 2.5 kW. Luxury cars use around 5 kW. It's reached the point where vehicles like the 7 Series BMW need two batteries. When you go to 42 volts, power won't be an issue anymore.