With the continuing rapid growth in the scale and complexity of automotive electrical and electronic systems this module provides essential competences in an increasingly important area of automotive product development.

This module forms part of the Jaguar Land Rover MSc course in Automotive Engineering.

Module Aims

The aims of this module are to:

• Develop a detailed theoretical and practical understanding of the principles and application of electronic components and circuits in automotive applications.
• Develop the ability of course attendees to independently analyse and evaluate complex electronics systems to assess robustness in harsh environments
• Understand the current best practices in design and development of electronics components, circuits and systems in automotive applications.
• Appreciate the importance of learning from past experience to provide a sound foundation from which to critique electronic designs.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the principles and application of basic and advanced analogue circuit design, related electronics components and circuits in automotive applications
• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the principles and application of basic and advanced digital circuit design, related electronics components and circuits in automotive applications
• Demonstrate a detailed understanding of circuit robustness requirements pertaining to automotive applications and environments
• Demonstrate the ability to independently analyse and evaluate complex electronics systems to assess robustness in harsh environments
• Demonstrate the ability to analyse failures and how to improve system design

Syllabus

• Module introduction
  • Background on the application and growth of electronics to the automotive domain
  • The cost of poor design
• Passive Electronic components
  • Resistors basics
  • Resistors advanced - simulation of circuit with resistors, data sheets, anecdotes to support component selection and analysis
  • Capacitors basics
  • Capacitors advanced - principles and datasheets, simulation and anecdotes to support component selection and analysis
  • Inductors basics
  • Inductors advanced, principles and datasheets, simulation and anecdotes to support component selection and analysis
• Tuned circuits (Bode plot)
  • Simulation LCR (Bode, FFT)
  • Transmission lines with demos
  • Circuit design and practical analysis of simulations
• Semiconductors - the physics of semiconductors
• MOSFETS, Bipolar transistors, IGBTs
  • Practical circuit design and analysis
  • The use of IGBTs for high voltage applications - Hybrid Electric Vehicles
• Logic
• Analogue design – Op-Amps
• Power supplies' design

Module Leader:

Dr Valentina Donzella