US behind foreign suppliers of eco-friendly auto electronics, iSuppli reports

Car makers such as Audi, Fiat, Kia, Honda and Nissan are offering and developing a variety of automotive electronics, but the efforts are not being matched by automakers in Detroit.

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 8/22/2008

While automakers are developing eco-friendly driving solutions given rising fuel costs and higher emissions standards for automobiles, in the fast-growing area of ecologically oriented features in car navigation and telematics systems, US automakers are falling behind foreign suppliers, according to El Segundo, Calif-based iSuppli Corp.

Examples of automotive electronics range from an indicator on the instrument cluster that gives ecological driving advice, to sophisticated real-time driving pattern comparisons via a car’s telematics system with OEM and aftermarket navigation systems also now providing eco-friendly, fuel-efficient paths as part of route calculation, as opposed to simply presenting the shortest course to a given destination, iSuppli said.

And while car makers such as Audi, Fiat, Kia, Honda and Nissan are offering and developing a variety of such electronics, the efforts are not being matched by automakers in Detroit.

“Compared to Europe and Asia, the North American market is behind the curve. Detroit is largely focused on powertrain technologies, such as hybrids or battery-powered electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, and less interested in putting fuel-saving tips into the infotainment system or gas pedal. North American OEMs have yet to announce an eco-friendly technology that operates through a navigation route or that notifies users of inefficient driving,” noted Phil Magney, VP of automotive research at iSuppli, in a statement.

And with the increasing emphasis on fuel economy and higher consumer awareness of environmental impact of their activities, the US auto industry risks being left behind in this key area, Magney said. “In a few years, it's entirely possible that telematics systems will give vehicle manufacturers the capability to re-flash powertrain control modules to improve the efficiency of vehicles. Eco-telematics also plays a role in hybrid vehicles with routing that optimizes charging of the batteries. Because of this, it’s crucial for car makers to stay on top of the eco-friendly telematics and navigation phenomenon.”

“In a few years, it's entirely possible that telematics systems will evolve on the eco-front and give vehicle manufacturers the capability to re-flash powertrain control modules to improve the efficiency of vehicles,” he continued.

It’s not just about MPG anymore

For many years, miles per gallon (MPG) information has been available to drivers via the instrument cluster but carmakers are now taking MPG information, along with other data, and repackaging and marketing it to customers under the "eco" label.

One such vehicle that contains this information is the 2009 Kia Lotze, the first domestic vehicle in South Korea to feature an eco-driving system on the instrument cluster that color-codes driving patterns to help drivers get better gas mileage, which is similar to technologies from Japanese OEMs, such as Nissan and Honda.

In the new-generation Honda Accord, for example, the car contains an eco-driving system with an eco-lamp on its instrument cluster whereby the engine's engine control unit (ECU) calculates the revolutions per minute (RPM) information, variable cylinder information and torque-for-MPG information, and the eco-lamp turns on when the vehicle is in its most fuel-efficient mode, iSuppli said.

Further, Nissan in Japan this week introduced an eco drive function called Eco Pedal that actively monitors fuel consumption and encourages more efficient acceleration by adjusting back pressure on the accelerator pedal.

Fiat and Audi also have eco driving features some of their models as well, iSuppli pointed out.

With all of these applications hitting the streets, or being developed, the microcontroller (MCU) market is expected to benefit. Market researchers at Stamford, Conn-based Gartner Inc predict that green vehicles will drive the automotive microcontroller market to $6.3 billion in 2012.

Rising from $5.3 billion this year, Gartner said 50% of the $6.3 billion worth of automotive MCUs in 2012 will be responsible for “green” optimizations thanks to many of the technologies used in “green” vehicles, such as hybrids, managed through MCUs, therefore, the increase in sales of energy-efficient vehicles will fuel the MCU market.

“MCUs play an instrumental role in accelerating electronic innovations in automotives by making the vehicle lighter and more efficient, and drivers more informed. Increasing complexity in automotive electronics is amplifying the need for higher-performance 32-bit MCUs with more embedded memory,” said Amy Leong, research director for Gartner.

The company explained that improved fuel economy of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) is due to the addition of an electric engine to the combustion gas engine, which can take over from the gas engine when the car is stopped at lights or in traffic, or with newer models, can power the car at lower speeds. The smooth and uninterrupted blending of power between the two engines requires great computer control and highly complex software, Gartner pointed out, which is provided by MCU technology with enhanced on-chip memory with the “brain” of the hybrid engine control unit (ECU) the 32-bit MCU, which provides high-speed operation up to 200 MHz and on-chip memory of more than 4MBs and constantly monitors the driving conditions and manages the power flow between the generator, battery and motor.

Given that HEV production is only a small part of new car production, the automotive industry is moving to implement new technological innovations in combustion engine cars to improve energy efficiency, Leong said. “Using more electronics in vehicles plays a critical role and MCUs inside these electronics provide higher-precision control and on-demand capability, leading to considerable improvement in fuel-efficiency and a reduction in emissions.”

Further, MCU-enabled applications such as electronic power steering and multiplexing/networking reduce overall vehicle weight and improve gas mileage by eliminating mechanical systems and dedicated wiring, with many consumers already realizing the benefits of GPS and onboard computers to help route around traffic congestion and maximize fuel economy by monitoring speed and driving habits.

“With increasingly stringent emission regulations and higher gasoline prices, the automotive industry is making strides toward cleaner emissions and better fuel economy. In the next decade, we will see an accelerated adoption of fuel-efficient technologies in all cars worldwide. Additionally, we expect the revolutionary zero-emission and alternative fuel solutions to be commercialized after 2015. All of these innovations will rely heavily on electronic control systems, and therefore MCUs,” Leong concluded.