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Article

Title: RAY OF HOPE FOR AUTO INDUSTRY

Author: Wilson, Drew Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: Electronic Business, v32 n11 p47(3) Publication Date: Nov 2006
  ISSN: 0163-6197
  Illustrations: Photographs, Charts
URL of Publication: http://www.eb-mag.com

Automotive manufacturers have discovered that they face a number of reliability issues that arise from connecting autonomous systems, according to Chris Webber, vice president of automotive practice at Strategy Analytics. An error in one system is often triggered by an issue somewhere else. Recalls resulting from hardware and software problems mean financial losses and stigmatized brands. FlexRay presents one answer for the auto industry. This is a next-generation network protocol that was introduced in 2006 in the BMW X5 SUV to support a suspension application. FlexRay has bandwidth that is 20 times higher than the current Controller Area Network (CAN) communications protocol. It also provides predictability and fault tolerance required by advanced electronic controls. FlexRay provides built-in redundancy by running two parallel channels at 10Mbps each. If one of the channels fails, there are no consequences, according to Uwe Schumann, manager of automotive software architecture at STMicroelectronics. Comparatively, CAN lacks fault tolerance and has a data rate of only 1Mbps. This makes it inadequate for high-level electronics, and its messaging procedure can result in unresponsive controls. FlexRay is critical as an enabler of advanced automobile electronics.

Special Features: Photographs, Charts

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Auto Manufacturing

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