A new family of FlexRay transceivers has been developed by NXP Semiconductors that support the automotive industry’s move towards a 48V board net in future vehicles.

Last year, at an international automotive electronics congress in Ludwigsburg, Germany, five major German carmakers including, BMW, Audi, Daimler, Porsche, and Volkswagen jointly announced their agreement to take this step.

The NXP transceivers are capable of supporting the new board net by offering up to +/-60V robustness.

As the electrification of previously mechanical functions within vehicles continues, from power steering to the power train and vehicle dynamic systems, the standard 12V board net has reached its limits. Rather than increasing the cable diameters in 12V systems, automotive manufacturers are now determined to standardise on 48V instead.

This step will ensure efficient power supply to all high-current devices. OEMs also expect that 48V systems would reduce CO2 emissions based on optimised recuperation, replacement of hydraulics in power steering, and improved air conditioning. At the same time the 48V board net would reduce the weight and footprint of high-power actuators.

In response to this NXP developed its FlexRay transceivers that are capable of supporting the upcoming 48V standard without the need for costly external decoupling devices.

The new devices offer reduced CO2 emissions due to very low-current consumption in standby and sleep mode plus high immunity to ESD.

 At the Congress in Germany in 2011, the above mentioned leading car manufacturers jointly announced their decision to push for a rapid implementation of 48V systems in the short or medium term. At the same time they appealed to semiconductors companies to actively support their move. Giuseppe Mascolino, BMW, head of E/E architecture, system functions, software development, and e-mobility, explains: “As more high-power devices are being added to vehicles it becomes increasingly difficult to drive these functions out of a 12V supply, both from a technical and economic point of view.

This is why BMW and other major car manufacturers decided to add a second system of 48 Volts into future car models to supplement the existing 12V board net. This will facilitate easy and cost-efficient integration of high-power components in the future and will enable new innovative functions.”

NXP Semiconductors

www.nxp.com/products/interface_and_connectivity/transceivers/flexray_transceivers/