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14 SMT Magazine • September 2015 vices, and built-in telecom capabilities includ- ing Internet access. All of these technologies have to work to- gether in one extended system, all operating in potentially hostile environments, and yet also be economically competitive because the car is, after all, a key consumer product. This is what makes automotive unique. A glitch in a single video camera does not simply result in a poor quality picture, it may now cause a car's systems to react inappropriately in certain situations. Every electronics-based system can potentially affect every other. A new approach to automotive traceability that brings the whole principle of traceability in electronics manufacturing up to date is now long overdue.This new "face" of traceability has a low cost of ownership because almost all data is captured electronically and automatically from every process and support operation within the factory. Assurance and compliance is enforced as operations are optimized and guided by the by michael Ford MenTor grapHicS Historically, the perception of traceability data collection from the shop-floor has been that it presents a significant burden to the op- eration, yet provides value only when the most unplanned, rare, and disastrous of events take place. Automotive has always been on the fore- front of traceability because safety issues are paramount, and responsibilities for failures are quite severe. A quiet revolution, however, is taking place within the automotive electronics industry, driven by a collection of technology advanc- es, the need for further energy efficiency, and ever enhanced safety. A wide combination of different products that previously only existed in discrete sectors have come together in the car, combining critical control and manage- ment systems, including self-drive technolo- gies such as radar, multi-media consumer de- The "New Face" of Automotive Traceability FeAture