How powertrain systems are evolving for a sustainable future?

Abhrasnata Das

The shifting dynamics of the automobile industry are pushing the segment towards a more sustainable approach. This in turn is bringing in new sets of possibilities that can be both rewarding and challenging for auto companies.

For example, there is a recent urgency to develop a powertrain system that combines modern internal combustion engine technology with low levels of electrification or high levels of electrification with simpler internal combustion engines. The attempt to develop hybrid powertrain systems can result in large increases in efficiency and emissions.

Additionally, there is also a global push to expedite the adoption of zero-emission cars at the consumer, industry, and government levels. Having said that, let’s explore the recent trends of the car powertrain market.

Intelligent Powertrain Control System

With every passing day, innumerable minor and major developments are taking place in the electronic and electrical auto components. In simple words, the traditional powertrain system is not efficient enough to meet the changes, therefore calling for an updated version. A firm named Sedemac Mechatronics is bringing in new innovations in this segment.

The firm has been concentrating on creating a variety of technologies targeted at decreasing difficulties in a variety of categories for intelligent powertrain control. The business has created an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) that removes the need for two separate machines, such as a battery and an alternator, and can be used alone to start and power a vehicle.

“The ISG applies electromagnetism principles to develop a sensor-less application and makes use of a standard brushless magneto as the starter and is governed by a microprocessor for intelligent electronic control to manage power flow to & fro among machine and battery," mentions Amit Dixit, Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer, Sedemac Mechatronics.

He also added, "ISG controller offers vastly improved reliability to the end user at a much lower system cost and complexity coupled with fuel savings.”

Architecture Innovation

Traditionally, hybrid and electric powertrains have been a mash-up of the systems that move automobiles forward, with the battery, DC/DC converters, onboard charger, and traction inverter all contained in their own enclosures.In the present scenario, there is a need to integrate these systems utilizing a single domain controller and power stage, which will help to boost efficiency and reliability while lowering costs, and also complying with functional safety regulations.

An integrated powertrain architecture is more reliable because there are fewer parts that can break. In addition to the inherent benefits of an integrated system, guaranteeing dependability in an EV's high-voltage battery environment necessitates strong protection and peak thermal performance.

Isolated gate drivers and modulators built and validated for demanding automotive applications are helping to overcome these difficulties. Integrated diagnostics are also an important element of the safety equation, as they may assist powertrain systems in meeting ASIL D, the highest degree of functional safety for road cars and a major hurdle for EV makers.

All-wheel drive

Power is supplied to all four wheels in all-wheel-drive systems to improve vehicle traction and control. The technology distributes torque evenly to all four wheels, which improves grip and traction, especially while turning. AWD systems are now being used in compact passenger cars and hybrid vehicles, which is propelling the industry forward. This system was previously only available in high-end vehicles.

Consumer spending power is increasing in emerging markets like China and Japan, resulting in rising demand for luxury and high-end automobiles in the Asia-Pacific automotive all-wheel-drive market.

Many players like Audi, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Hyundai, and BMW have joined and few other manufacturers are set to join this booming segment in India. Though the number of Sport Utility Vehicles featuring all-wheel-drive systems is limited in the emerging markets, their numbers will grow rapidly in the future. All-wheel Drive in the Sports Utility Vehicles segment will see the highest rate of growth in the segment on account of higher sales and interest in the segment.

Cyber-Physical Thread

Future powertrains are becoming increasingly susceptible to Cyber-physical security concerns with the increasing automation and adoption of applications like Vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and the number of electronic control units, and connected electric vehicles.

According to a rising number of studies, as IoT-enabled applications, such as electric vehicles (EVs), become more prevalent, power electronics systems are becoming more exposed to cyber-physical risks ranging from cyber-attacks to physical malfunctions. Meanwhile, due to a lack of cyber awareness among the power electronics community, developing monitoring and diagnostic procedures for networked power electronics systems has become increasingly critical. If these dangers are not discovered early enough in many safety-critical systems, they can result in catastrophic failure and significant financial loss.

The automobile industry is witnessing an increasing amount of development and so are the powertrain systems. However, with the recent application of big data, IoT, and AI into automotive systems, the future holds a lot for powertrain systems.