The recent Embedded Tech Trends conference highlighted a trend: Boards and subsystems for military applications are increasingly employing optical cable. Fiber optic technology is continuing its push into high-end military systems as engineers increasingly choose it to meet accelerating speed demands. This marks a change from its traditional role as a technology for long-distance communications.Read More

Connector makers are helping automobile makers in their push to make hydrogen fuel cells a clean-energy option for cars. Falling lithium-ion battery prices, continuous hydrogen fuel cell technology advancements, changing consumer preferences, government support for alternative fuel research in China and Europe, and the impact of Elon Musk’s Tesla have converged to make the electricRead More

AI technologies are being used to help analyze rapidly growing data sets, which is generating substantially more data and further increasing demand for ever more powerful connectors. Artificial intelligence has become a prominent element in many advanced system designs, including leading sensing and analysis tools used by data centers and military agencies. Though AI is a high-level software technology, it’s having a major impact on the development of electronics, including connector designs that can accommodateRead More

Updating shipboard communication systems with fiber optics and high-speed technologies requires a bevy of high-performance, specialized connectors for military applications. Advanced communications technologies are a critical focus for naval system developers. As new equipment takes to the seas, connector makers are being asked to provide high-speed components that are simple and easy to use and meetRead More

Efforts to improve automotive safety are trickling down to the smallest vehicles, including those that never hit the roads. Automated Vehicles The quest to develop safer cars is also influencing the design of smaller vehicles, benefitting manufacturing companies, warehouses, and the people who work in them. A new generation of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), alsoRead More

Driverless golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicles may become mainstream well before autonomous cars become common. By Terry Costlow Golf cart suppliers have beat the auto industry in the race to electric power. Now they’re striving to make big inroads into the autonomous vehicle field. The challenges and benefits of using both electrified powertrains andRead More

Automakers are moving away from incandescent bulbs at increased speeds, eliminating a longstanding connector market. Opportunities for interconnect suppliers to shift gears and merge into more advanced automotive LED lighting applications abound. Much of the automotive industry’s attention is focused on the requirements of safety systems and autonomous driving, but there’s a similar revolution happeningRead More

The myriad electronic systems used to equip modern luxury yachts require a number of connectors, often with a demand for customization. By Terry Costlow Anywhere there’s water, there are boats. More people want them, and more buyers have money to buy fancy watercraft, creating a huge market for luxury yachts, which opens a large marketRead More

The growing complexity of automotive electronics and wiring is prompting automakers to augment geometric models with functional tools. By Terry Costlow Modeling and Simulation Tools Automakers are relying more on electronic technologies to differentiate products and add safety systems that pave the way to autonomous driving. The resulting increase in complexity is prompting OEMs toRead More

Internal combustion engines continue to fuel the market, pushing connector designers to improve reliability for components destined for harsh under-hood environments. By Terry Costlow Many factors are changing the types of connectors used in the auto industry, but for the foreseeable future, products made for powertrains are going to remain fairly immune to major changes.Read More

Recent introductions in the work truck market highlight the ongoing rise in electronic features and functions. By Terry Costlow The role of electronic technologies continues to grow in the commercial trucking world. Companies are finding more niches for electrified systems and powertrains in trucks destined for all markets. Several introductions at the recent Work TruckRead More

Autonomous vehicles will need as many as 30 sensors, creating volumes of data. In-vehicle infotainment systems will further increase demand for high-speed networks. Self-driving cars are already on the roads. GM, Ford, Tesla Motors, Toyota, Volvo, Nissan, and other automakers are testing driverless cars and say they plan to release autonomous models within the nextRead More