Arm-Elmos eFuse Case Study (12/2022)

Arm-Powered eFuses from Elmos, the Smart Guardian of the Vehicle. Read more about the new generation of advanced vehicle power management. read case study

Today's Situation

Many functions of our cars are already electrified. Fuses are still an exception. As they once were only meant to save the system from malfunction it now often means to protect the system from wrong handling. Benefiting from semiconductor features, eFuses are the next step as they replace melting fuses and provide many more features.

Demand

Classic fuses are slow and imprecise in reaction and usually only for one time use. Today's electrical, topology and operating functional blocks call for a new solution. What if eFuses could lead to better system reliability?

Challenge

The automotive market asks for faster reaction times, flexible local software controlled algorithms, adaptive over current threshold, independent channel switching and software update abilities. eFuses may answer these.

Major benefits of electronic fuses

• Vehicle harness weight reduction
• Functional safety
• Architecture flexibility
• Active power management
• Enhanced system reliability

Facilitate smart power distribution with advanced functionality on vehicle application level. Preventing in-vehicle supply voltage drop. Getting feedback from your powernet.

One chip solution with bus interface eases the OEM release process

• Reduced junction box construction
• Freedom of mounting position
• Optional decentral fuses

• Bus controlled flexibility
• In-vehicle network interface
• Zone controlled power subnets
• Reduced central power lines
• Saves wire harness weight

• Avoiding instable bus communication, unreliable sensor data and unwanted resets
• Reduced failure cross coupling with other power segments by fast over current shutdown: Fast reaction time
• Predictive maintenance by accurate power measurement:
  Local software controlled algorithms
• Enables small standard subnet modules
• Adaptive over current threshold
• Independent channel switching

Flexible functionality by software supporting OTA updates

• Adaptive filter
• I²t characteristic

• Remotely configurable threshold
• Communication protocol
• Support cyber security by plausibility checks

Elmos eases the implementation of upcoming in-vehicle powernet architecture

• Flexibility by using external MOSFET transistors
  - Different power classes (20A up to 200A)
  - Different suppliers
  - New power technologies
• Flexibility by software
• Supporting modular wiring sets
• Easy migration from melting fuse to eFuse