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How Self-Driving Cars Work: The Role of PCB Technology

AVs PCB

مقدمه

A report said that Tesla is developing self-driving cars. Its Robotaxi should be in production in 2026 and mass-produced in 2027. If the FSD for Model 3/Y is approved in China and Europe in Q1 2025, it will be the first to experience unmanned driving and become a taxi. Other new energy vehicle manufacturers have started similar programs, including Huawei ADS 4.0 and Xiaopeng.
Furthermore, due to the deepening of automotive electrification, the amount of PCB is also increasing, اچ‌دی‌آی, تخته‌های انعطاف‌پذیر, تخته‌های چندلایه and other segments have their own application scenarios and development characteristics in the field of automotive electronics.
اف اس تک‘s advances in PCB technology are also changing how car manufacturers design self-driving vehicles, from test vehicle building to prototyping.

Please get in touch with us as soon as possible if you have any inquiries regarding تولید PCB and PCBA-related services for the automotive industry. We always place a high value on THE STANDARDS OF AUTOMOTIVE PCB. We also meet all of the following standards for automotive PCBs:

تولید و مونتاژ PCB خودرو

اینجا کلیک کنید
  • IPC-6012DA
  • AEC-Q100/AEC-Q200
  • ایزو ۲۶۲۶۲
  • JESD22-A100
  • IEC 61508
  • استاندارد UL 94
  • استاندارد RoHS
  • IPC-A-600G
  • IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020
  • IPC-A-610

Understanding Self-Driving Cars

Self-driving cars, commonly known as autonomous vehicles (AVs) or driverless automobiles, are gradually changing the way we travel. They are capable of carrying out driving tasks from start to finish without the need for human interaction. 

Self-driving vehicles work by obtaining data from the environment around them, relative to the engines’ onboard systems that control movement, and deciding in real-time what action to execute.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has categorized vehicle autonomy into 6 levels ranging from level 0 meaning no autonomy at all to level 5 which means ultimate or full automation. This classification assists in outlining the technological milestones of autonomous driving development.

Levels of Vehicle Autonomy
Levels of Vehicle Autonomy

Components of Self-driving Cars

The provision of the necessary electrical connections and support for a wide range of components, like as sensors, processors, communication modules, and power management systems, is made possible by PCBs, which are an essential component in the functioning of self-controlled vehicles. The following are considered to be core components of this technology:

Sensors and Cameras

A variety of sensors and cameras are needed to observe the surrounding environment in self-driving vehicles. These devices may capture data about the environment in terms of the position of other cars, the presence of people, traffic lights, and roads.

autonomous vehicle

These devices collect data relating to the environment in the form of the position of other cars and the number of people, the presence of traffic lights, and simply the roads in context. Key types of sensors include:

  • Cameras: High-resolution cameras are used at several angles to ensure visibility of obstacles, reading of road signs, and recognition of lanes.
  • Ultrasonic Sensors: These are short-range sensors that are used for parking and to recognize other nearby objects.
  • Radar and LIDAR(in non-Tesla vehicles): Radar has the ability to gauge distance and estimate speed by emitting radio waves while LIDAR employs laser radiation to create a terrain map. On the other hand, Tesla has developed more advanced methods that do not utilize either technology, with their systems relying purely on vision.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

AI is the backbone of all moving automated vehicle technologies. Self-driving automobiles have artificial intelligence systems embedded in them that process the input from the sensors and cameras to see the ‘world’ around them. The AI system must:

  • Detect and monitor objects in the vicinity, particularly motorized clients and pedestrians.
  • Anticipate how drivers and pedestrians in the same area will behave to stay out of the way.
  • Scenarios that require muscle memory and quick reactions such as pressing either the gas or brake pedal.

Central Control Units

In today’s self-driving cars, the most important component is the central control unit, which coordinates moving, accelerating, and braking after combining information from different sensors and هوش مصنوعی سیستم‌ها. 

Central Control Unit

This unit connects and integrates everything thanks to Printed Circuit Boards, which module the high-speed transfer of data across systems.

The central control unit must be responsible for safety-critical systems where it should still be possible to control the vehicle safely in the event of AI failure. These kinds of systems are largely time-dependent, hence the need for advanced computing hardware and incredibly reliable PCBs in autonomous vehicles.​​

Understanding Self-Driving Cars PCB

We already know what AVs are. Let’s delve into driverless PCB.

Self-driving car PCBs are the backbone of these cars, connecting and integrating sensors, cameras, radars, control units, etc., to process data, perform decision-making, and control the vehicle to perform various functions and ensure vehicle safety. 
AVs PCB

With an understanding of self-driving cars PCB, below is an in-depth look at the core components that اف اس تک can provide for self-driving cars in PCB manufacturing and مونتاژ.

Strategies for Self-driving Cars PCB Assembly

For automotive electronics PCB assembly, it is necessary to select the right مواد PCB and a specific design to meet the requirements specified in the usage standards to ensure that no problems occur during production. Therefore, the following basic strategies need to be followed.

Component Placement and Orientation

Component placement and orientation play an important role in the reliability of circuit board manufacturing. For example, when wave soldering is used, components must be orientated parallel to the direction of the wave, placing bridge solder or open circuits.

Power Thermal Management

Board alignment thickness, number of layers, heat path continuity, and board surface are all factors that affect the climate of running components. When absorption exceeds 10mW or current exceeds 10mA, components must be properly thermally managed and power-managed components.

Component Sequencing

Place finer components first, followed by smaller parts. In addition, analog or hybrid components must be placed in a specific PCB area, separate from their digital components.

DRC Principle

The DRC (Design Rule Check) principle for PCBAs for self-driving cars ensures that the PCB design meets the rules for manufacturing and performance standards, including verifying that circuit element spacing, alignment widths, aperture sizes, etc., are within manufacturing tolerances. This identifies potential manufacturing problems at an early stage, reduces costs, and improves product quality.

The Role of PCBs in Autonomous Vehicles

Computers, automation technology, and autonomous vehicles all utilize a crucial component known as printed circuit boards. It serves the purpose of connecting different electronic systems and facilitating numerous communication linkages. The principal role of PCBs in self-driving cars is the management of multiple sensor data and the execution of decisions within milliseconds to guarantee safety and effectiveness.

Here is how PCBs power autonomous vehicles:

Reliability and durability

Automotive PCB devices must be rugged enough to withstand harsher environments than PCBs typically used in other applications. They are typically exposed to high temperatures, dust, moisture, accidental shocks (drops), and power overloads/surges. When designing, ensure that the PCB materials and enclosures can pass thermal reliability and long-term tests typical of harsh environments.

ادغام

As the self-driving car industry grows, previously independent and diverse systems are experiencing greater integration. Greater processing power can be achieved in vehicles by prioritizing integration in PCB design, which involves sensors, electronic control units (ECUs), and the various electro-mechanical systems that control various aspects of self-driving cars.

Hardware interface requirements

Self-driving cars should have superior capabilities beyond those of human drivers. This means that the need for multiple hardware interfaces needs to be considered to ensure that the system is capable of having another ECU take over its functions in the event of one ECU failing, which requires the use of in-vehicle networks with mesh topologies to provide redundancy.

Lidar Cooling And Thermal Management

LIDAR or radar systems in self-driving cars require PCBs with low loss and high frequency characteristics. In addition, High Density Interconnect (HDI) designs are becoming increasingly important as the number of components and interconnects increases.

Vehicle Control Architecture

Electronic control units and various systems in self-driving cars require a high degree of integration to enable data processing and execution of real-time tasks such as instant object recognition, communication over vehicle-to-vehicle self-organizing networks (VANETs), etc.

انتقال داده با سرعت بالا

PCBs also serve the purpose of receiving and sending information at required speeds. Sensors allow for the collection of information that is disseminated to various parts of the vehicle. In steep and narrow circumstances, the vehicle will require cameras and control units that function effectively for a reliable and sufficient response.

Differences Between Self-driving Car PCBs And Automotive PCBs

As technology advances and safety and reliability requirements increase, the design of PCBs for self-driving cars is unique and complex in many ways.
The main differences between PCBs for self-driving cars and general automotive PCBs are higher technical complexity, integration, reliability, and durability requirements, as well as increased demand for high-performance materials, ای ام سی, multi-layer boards, and the use of HDI. In addition, self-driving car PCBs need to integrate more sensors and controllers and have higher standards for environmental protection and energy efficiency.

The table below shows the main differences:

ویژگیAutonomous Vehicle PCBConventional Vehicle PCB
پیچیدگیHighly complex, integrates multiple sensors and actuators, supports advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)Relatively lower complexity, mainly supports basic electronic systems of the vehicle
سرعت انتقال دادهRequires high-speed data transfer to handle large amounts of sensor dataLower requirements for data transfer speed
Layer Count and DensityMulti-layer boards, HDI boards, high-density wiringFewer layers, lower density
Materials and Environmental ResistanceMust withstand more extreme temperatures, humidity, vibration, and chemical corrosionLower requirements for environmental resistance
قابلیت اطمینان و دوامHigher requirements, as autonomous driving functions are critical for safetyLower requirements for reliability and durability
Electromagnetic CompatibilityHigher requirements due to the increase in sensors and communication devicesLower requirements for electromagnetic compatibility
Sensor IntegrationIntegrates a greater variety and number of sensors, such as cameras, radar, LiDARFewer sensor integrations
Smart Cockpit FeaturesSupports more complex smart cockpit features, such as multimedia, internet connectivityFewer or no smart cockpit features
Connected Vehicle ModulesRequires support for connected vehicle modules for high-speed communication and data transferMay not support or have basic connected vehicle functions
ارزشHigher value, especially for domain controller PCBsLower value
Growth PotentialStrong growth potential for HDI boards, with a CAGR of 16.5% expectedLower growth potential
 

The Future of Self-Driving Vehicles

It is estimated that by 2030, one out of every 10 cars in the world will be self-driving. This growth is driving not only the growth of multilayer PCBS, but also the increase in electronic content in vehicles, especially in electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). As autonomous driving technology advances and investments increase, the demand for high-performance and reliable PCBS in the autonomous vehicle sector continues to grow.
self driving car

Commercial Applications

The ride-hailing sector is bound to change with the introduction of Tesla’s Robotaxi which integrates numerous advances in mobility, making it virtually driverless. With an estimated price of around $0.20 per mile, Tesla’s advanced cab system is likely to change city transport for the better, making it high-quality and easier

Technological Challenges

Despite the progress made, full autonomy is still a long way off. Regardless of the constant improvements, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system has not reached unregulated driving just yet. Rivals such as Waymo and Cruise are well ahead currently in the deployment of autonomous vehicles remotely controlled via geo-fencing technology.

Much emphasis on AI, sensor, and hardware development has relevance to Tesla’s goal of total safety that is fully autonomous. In this same regard, برد مدار چاپی manufacturing will be key to supporting such general advances through faster data processing and more secure vehicle system communications.

نتیجه‌گیری

PCB technology innovation and integration are essential to the development of self-driving automobiles. PCB makers play an essential role in the automobile industry as self-driving cars becoming smarter and more ecologically friendly. PCBs are being utilized more and more in modern cars for everything from entertainment systems to safety systems. In addition to providing electrical connections and mechanical support, they also meet our expectations for comfort, safety, and communication. We anticipate that self-driving cars will transform how we travel in the future as technology develops.

For automotive PCB assembly, you can select FS Tech as your partner. FS has been offering industrial PCB solutions for over a decade. For your PCB projects, we have the most comprehensive equipment and a committed staff. Are you interested in learning more about the production and assembly of PCBs? Contact us or send us an email to get started right away!

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