Will we see car reliability rise?

http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/mag4/art20050301/htm/tech_panne_e
lectronique.htm

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

Electronic breakdowns

By L. Meillaud

Although the cars of today are generally much more reliable, their high
technological content can sometimes generate breakdowns. Since they are
electronic, these breakdowns are more difficult to diagnose and lead to
complications in the after-sales area. But manufacturers are aware of the
problem.

     ? Delphi
     The electronics share will exceed 30% of the cost price by 2010.
Although the integration of electronics dates back to the early 1980s, this
phenomenon has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Nowadays, cars
contain an average of 40 onboard computers. These are needed to operate the
equipment for safety (ABS, airbags, ESP), comfort (air conditioning,
automatic windscreen wipers, automatic headlight activation, navigation) and
entertainment (sound system). However, overzealous manufacturers have gone
too far, integrating an ever-increasing number of software packages and
sensors with the result that bugs have appeared, just as they have in
personal computers. But you can't always start a car again like you can
reboot a PC, in which case it remains stranded on the roadside. Inexplicable
breakdowns can also occur and never happen again. All these little problems
(a car that no longer starts, an electronic key card that no longer opens
the doors) have contributed towards damaging the image of the automobile
industry and, in particular, the image of certain top-of-the-range
manufacturers who had got into the habit of offering an ever-increasing
number of innovations. Mercedes has thus decided to react by getting rid of
600 electronic components in its cars.

Autosar: an initiative to make electronics more reliable
At the same time, German manufacturers and some parts manufacturers have
decided to develop a common electronic architecture together. The work is
being carried out within the framework of the Autosar* consortium and the
aim is to define common standards for basic components, in the knowledge
that the manufacturer maintains ultimate control of the software. In this
way, the automobile industry hopes to be able to make the electronic content
of vehicles reliable. In any case, going back is out of the question.
Without electronics, it would not now be possible to satisfy European
standards with respect to safety and the environment. Engineers are
therefore looking into multiplexing (a process which enables several streams
of information to be transmitted by the same electric wires) and the
communication networks of the future. Although vehicle data is now
transmitted via the Can** network, the arrival of new standards must be
anticipated, in particular for multimedia and by-wire applications where
hydraulic circuits are replaced by electric wires (braking, steering,
suspension).

Awaiting the arrival of remote diagnosis...

     ? Bosch
     Repair mechanics are increasingly well equipped to repair modern cars.
Meanwhile, garage mechanics are having to tackle electronic breakdowns in
the field. They are now equipped with diagnosis devices that are connected
directly under the bonnet. As on a computer, they search for the fault,
which is signalled by a computer code. Once the problem has been located, it
is just a question of downloading new software or reprogramming the
computer. Naturally, these are operations that only repair mechanics are
authorised to carry out. Some manufacturers, such as Peugeot and Citro?n,
have even developed technological platforms where an operator can give
remote guidance to the repair mechanic or take action on the vehicle
themselves if necessary. In order to definitively reconcile drivers with
electronics, the automobile industry is counting heavily on remote
diagnosis. Thanks to an onboard modem, cars in the future will be able to
forewarn manufacturers of a risk of breakdown. Then all they need to do is
direct the client to the nearest garage in order to repair the faulty
component before the breakdown occurs. A dream that is about to become
reality...

* Automotive Open System Architecture
** Controlled Area Network: network through which information related to the
engine, passenger compartment and body is transmitted.