Delivering the Digital Cockpit

Accustomed to a steady stream of real-time information delivered by their smartphones, today’s car buyers increasingly expect the same kind of experience in their vehicles. Automakers are responding with multiple screens, cameras and sensors to keep passengers safe, comfortable, entertained and in the know about the weather, traffic conditions and the location of the next gas or charging station. 

As software assumes a starring role in the vehicle, the fast-growing number of data connections requires engineers to think differently about age-old systems. From the engine and brakes to the seats and car radio, no part of the automobile operates in isolation anymore. Designers are now collaborating with top-level technology partners to deliver a smooth, interconnected in-car experience. 

Today’s cars don’t just transport people—they carry enormous amounts of data. Connected vehicles often contain up to 100 million lines of software code, more than ten times the amount they had in 2010. 

Some of the most important connections link to safety features, including advanced driver assistance (ADAS) systems. Car cameras can provide 360-degree visibility, exceeding the capabilities of the human eye. LiDAR and infrared systems distinguish moving objects in drivers’ blind spots, even at nighttime or in conditions of fog or haze.  

Adaptive cruise control uses radar or laser sensors to make minor adjustments to keep drivers on track—for example, accelerating or decelerating to maintain a safe and steady distance from surrounding vehicles. Forward collision warning measures the distance, angle and relative speed between vehicles, warning drivers of an impending collision. Automatic emergency braking goes a step further, hitting the brakes in time to prevent accidents. 

Many commercial vehicles carry cameras and sensors to monitor drivers’ habits, noting occasions when they suddenly roll through stop signs, accelerate or brake. Some have gaze and drowsiness detection, sending audible warnings. In commercial and personal vehicles, insurers offer this kind of technology to customers through car-installed devices or phone apps and provide premium discounts for safe driving. 

In the future, ADAS systems will become even more proactive, plugging into 5G wireless networks to enable direct vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (vehicle-to-everything or V2X) communications and pushing out more autonomous features. 

But we’re not there yet. Safety systems require reliable high-speed data transmission and high pin-count connectors to quickly collect, process and communicate the incoming information to components throughout the vehicle. V2X communications, for instance, may need new antenna technology to transmit the needed signals at the speed required.

In addition to enhanced safety features, today’s car buyers are looking for instant information and controls, and they want them delivered not by buttons and gauges but on thin, sleek, customizable touchscreens. As a result, digital dashboards now offer multiple screens allowing drivers to select and position content. For example, they can replace the speedometer with a tachometer or a map, see all of them at once, or switch among views. They can also adjust seats, play music and activate interior lights in a rainbow of different hues. 

Heads-up displays flash messages across the windshield, letting EV drivers know how much juice remains in their batteries. The navigation system can then direct them to the nearest charging station. Along the way, it can see the topography and recalculate the route to avoid steep hills, which cause more battery draw. 

Mechanical systems are also connected to software, and in some models, drivers can choose their driving mode: sporty, relaxed or off-road, with electronic connectors relaying the information to make adjustments to the suspension. 

New controls and features—including safety improvements—are created all the time. To keep up, car makers provide remote software updates. Dealers and repair shops can fix some problems simply by updating software or repairing faulty connections. EVs, which have far fewer moving parts than conventional cars, will require little else. As they gain market share, going to the shop will be a simple lunch-hour visit instead of a hassle involving two vehicles and overnight waits. 

Software-driven capabilities and the constant design tweaks represent a challenge for car makers, who have traditionally focused on reliability, building systems that lasted for years or even decades without major changes. Some have struggled to make their software systems fast and user-friendly for today’s consumers. In a Molex survey, 92% of automobile company stakeholders said they are experiencing design challenges, and 85% believe legacy thinking may be holding them back. 

In the meantime, consumers are downloading apps like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which offer familiar displays and connect them instantly to their favorite playlists or podcasts. CarPlay also allows them to unlock and start the car. 

Rather than reinventing the wheel by building software applications from scratch, many automakers are now partnering with technology companies, an advent some call the “phoneification” of cars. 

In announcing its partnership with Google, Ford CEO Jim Farley explained, “[W]e have to get out of the business of doing generic things that do not add value, like navigation systems and a lot of the in-car entertainment experience. We were spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions every year, keeping up with basically a generic experience that was not competitive to your cellphone.”  

In the same Molex survey, 35% of respondents said collaboration is the best way to drive innovation. By partnering with companies with software expertise, manufacturers can satisfy their customers and maintain sales while gaining inside knowledge to help them prepare for an increasingly connected future. 

As one example of this collaboration, a major Tier 1 supplier recently joined several partner companies to create an in-vehicle computing platform. By bringing together experts in hardware, components, software and services—including Molex—this team created a platform that accelerates time-to-market while enabling automakers to focus on differentiating features. 

As in-vehicle features multiply and compete for space in the narrow confines of the cockpit, they create new challenges for engineers. To take up less space and reduce power consumption, some are using system on a chip (SoC) circuits, which can hold many components on a single substrate. 

Engineers must also find ways to reliably deliver advanced software capabilities while resisting heat, noise and vibrations. Working with the right supplier can help. Molex has years of experience developing flexible and reliable miniaturized connectors, high-speed networking cabling and continues to refine and expand its product line to collaborate with auto manufacturers and suppliers across the globe.