Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1350598
24 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2021 cludes autonomous driving elements and sen- sors, electrified drivetrain and advanced driv- er, and infotainment/communications. An- other way to split the categories would be the functional benefit, which is connectivity, safe- ty, and CO 2 -saving. Q: Do you see evidence of one of the categories leading or lagging? Do you see a difference in demand or need of innovation or prototyping? A: We do not see one category taking the lead. e functionality is integrated in the car and oen needs to use more than one category. Driving the demands for electronic systems and PCBs is pretty strong for all product cate- gories. For example, it does not make sense to install the (semi) autonomic drive function as a stand-alone system. It needs connectivity to find out where the car is and eventually com- municate to "X," which can be other cars, traf- fic lights, or control points. And does it need a connection with the car's drivetrain to give commands to the engine or steering? Still, one category is prior- itized, currently in develop- ment: prototyping and grow- ing demand. We see high devel- opment speeds for all the elec- trical drivetrain projects driven by the significant growth of and demand for electric cars globally. ere are a significant number of RFQs and develop- ment programs brought for- ward to the PCB suppliers. e emerging categories dominate the development work. e I-Connect007 editorial team submitted a series of questions to TTM Technologies. In response, Walter Olbrich, a field applica- tions engineering manager at TTM, provides a unique perspective on designs in automotive and transportation. ese answers investigate the current "state of the market" as evidenced by what customers are sending. Q: If we establish three main categories for transportation applications, are there clear customer trends in each category? A: Yes, automotive electronics has changed and is continuing to change dramatically. It used to be very basic, but (of course) very reliable elec- tronics for engine control unit (ECU)/pow- ertrain, automatic braking systems (ABS) and body control module (BCM). Now we see sev- eral emerging and growing categories. Usually, these are split by their function into Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which in- TTM on the Future of Transportation Design