It’s a dream that’s been around since at least the late 1930s, when the public imagination was sparked by the Futurama exhibit at the 1939 World’s Fair. Take a look at how cars learn to be human, and why they’ll be better at it than we are.   The world is precariously close to seeingRead More

As automakers increasingly tout next-generation safety and convenience features, electronic interconnection designers and suppliers have more incentive than ever to stay ahead of the curve. †   In an industry accustomed to long design cycles and proprietary solutions, burgeoning electronics options are creating new pressures for more rapid adoption by automotive designers. Both external andRead More

Research shows exceptional growth for the automotive connector market, both in the past and future.   The market for automotive connectors has been outstanding in recent years. Pent-up demand for new cars, which resulted from the Great Recession, initially drove the market in the early years of this decade. This was coupled with the growing useRead More

Information networks drive new opportunities for commercial vehicles—both conventional and electric.     Connectors used in commercial vehicles have always needed to provide higher performance under more rugged conditions than those used in passenger cars and trucks. Now they must also facilitate advanced networking under harsh conditions, providing all the benefits of high-speed networks found inRead More

Press-fit connector technology provides highly reliable, cost-effective connections for harsh automotive applications, according to AVX’s Tom Anderson.     As the electronic content in today’s automobiles continues to increase in complexity, spurred by the frenetic pace of technological advancements, so does the need for innovative interconnect solutions for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic module assemblyRead More

With pervasive connectivity, powerful features emerge that change the entire automotive ecosystem in the connected car. In recent years, in-car systems have been supplemented by basic Internet connectivity, allowing drivers and passengers to remain “plugged in” to the business and social networks they take for granted when at home or in the office. But whatRead More

Traditional wiring approaches for automotive electronics can be unwieldy, driving up vehicle weight, costs, and complexity, without commensurately driving up value. Molex explains the five levels of interconnect technology advancement in the era of digital cars.   Electronics make nearly every vehicle feature a reality. Popular automotive infotainment, integrated smart phone connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, and driver-assist applications are pushingRead More

The growing importance of the relationship between sensors and interconnects is fully evidenced in automotive safety systems, which require reliable, durable cable assemblies, according to Pete Doyon of Schleuniger.   As a young boy in the ’60s, my brother, sister, and I would stand on the rear seat of Dad’s Oldsmobile and hang onto theRead More

Today’s cars include sophisticated networks that control safety, entertainment, and communication in addition to vehicle performance, and all these systems need to talk to each other. Here, we look at how to specify an in-vehicle network connector.   Today’s vehicles increasingly employ sophisticated networks to control a number of vehicle functions, ranging from engine controlRead More

Restrictive connector terminal solutions can be an issue when specifying aluminum wires for automotive applications.   In light of time-to-market issues in the automotive industry, aluminum is the best option for reducing the weight of the electrical distribution system and harnesses. Aluminum has been used in battery and power applications in premium cars for some time.Read More

While secondary sourcing can be a viable option to mitigate supply chain interruptions, many connectors for today’s automobiles are so specialized that finding a second source can mean a whole new set of challenges. The “supply chain” is the process by which a company creates and distributes its products and services to the end users. The execution begins whenRead More

Electric terminal manufacturers utilize a good portion of their engineering resources to develop new products or improve existing terminals for the automotive industry. Sam Francois of ETCO examines the keys to choosing heavy-duty terminals for automotive applications.   Problems within a vehicle’s electrical system have long plagued the automotive industry. One of the most common areas forRead More