Modern cars depend heavily on electronics. Engine management, electronic control systems, navigation, laptop ports - the requirements for automotive electrics and electronics are increasing all the time. The industry therefore wants to raise battery voltages from 12 and 24 volts to 48 volts. Meanwhile, the scope of Europe’s Low-Voltage Directive, which regulates the electrical safety of low-voltage devices, is being extended. 

From summer 2006, all AC electric appliances rated at up to 1,000 volts and all DC appliances rated at up to 1,500 volts will have to comply with the directive. The removal of the old threshold levels of 50 and 75 volts means that automotive systems and equipment will be covered by the directive. What’s more, equipment fitted to motor vehicles has to meet a variety of special requirements. ‘A lot of automotive devices have to operate under extreme conditions, exposed to water, dirt and heat,’ explains KEMA’s Peter Dutrieux. ‘Some of the electronics are fitted beneath the chassis or under the hood. So they’ve got to be pretty tough. KEMA offers a comprehensive package of tests designed to take account of just the kinds of conditions motor components have to withstand.’

Dutrieux and his colleague Rob Ross expect industry dynamics to bring further challenges in the years ahead. ‘With the arrival of hybrid and maybe in due course electric cars, power electronics will become much more commonplace in the motor industry,’ says Ross. ‘The electric systems in that kind of vehicle will be very different from anything we are used to now, even in the most gadgetpacked models. At the same time, batteries are being improved all the time. And with better batteries come new applications and new safety requirements.’

Wide range of services

KEMA provides a wide range of other services to the automotive industry, including TS 16949 certification (to an industry-specific quality standard), the testing of vehicle lights against European and US requirements and EMCtesting against the EU’s Automotive Directive. Recycling consultancy services are also available, and likely to be in great demand with European law about to require the recycling of 85 per cent of scrapped cars from this year and 95 per cent from 2015.