Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/564614
102 SMT Magazine • September 2015 by stephen Las marias i-connecT007 Boon Khim Tan is the general manager of the Measurement Systems Division at Keysight Technologies Inc., which is responsible for the board test and functional test systems covering the networking computing, automotive, in- dustrial, and consumer electronics markets. In an interview with I-Connect007's Stephen Las Marias, Tan discusses the test requirements in the automotive electronics space and the latest trends driving innovation in the sector. Stephen Las Marias: From your perspective, how has the automotive electronics industry evolved over the past decade, and what major changes or trends have you witnessed? Tan: The biggest change happening in the auto- motive electronics industry now is the increas- ing amount of electronic content in each auto- mobile. For example, features such as air bags, electronic stability control and remote keyless entry, which used to be only found in luxury cars, are now making their way into entry-level models. The trends are driven by three major factors: Firstly, the move towards improving vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions, which is driven by increasingly strict regulations glob- ally, with the aim to reduce air pollution. This is leading to the development of increasingly efficient and intelligent engine control units (ECUs) as well as hybrid electric and electric ve- hicles (HEVs/EVs). Secondly, the improvements to vehicular safety and reduction in the rate of accidents, which are now leading to develop- ment of driver assistance features such as colli- sion avoidance radars and vision systems, and also the investigation into semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles. Thirdly, the need for competitive differentiation among au- tomotive makers and convenience for the users. This is leading to addition of features such as infotainment systems with navigation and re- mote keyless entry. Las Marias: what are their impacts for test and measurement companies? Tan: Test and measurement companies such as Keysight need to continuously develop test solu tions that are able to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the automotive companies when it comes to testing of electronic systems. Such needs include testing of new technolo- gies in cars such as LTE and mm-wave radar systems—lowering the cost of test, which will help in lowering the cost of parts so that auto- motive makers can add these parts into entry- automotive electronics Driving innovations in test FeAture interview