Non-volatile SRAM paces onboard auto electronics datalogging and performance tracking

In 2006, over 69 million new automobiles were manufactured worldwide [Ref. 1]. These vehicles continued the trend of using an increasing number of microcontrollers, with 50 or more being commonplace in cars currently rolling off the assembly line. While these microcontrollers are still being used in traditional applications such as engine and climate control, and entertainment systems, manufacturers are finding new and novel uses for these computers-on-a-chip.

For example, over time, a number of components in an automobile can degrade such they become out-of-spec. Some of these components can actually generate data that describe their wear over time, and these data can be continuously stored, and then retrieved and analyzed later at the service center—or even by the car itself—and raise a red flag in the event that service is required. Detecting this wear before it becomes a safety issue can eliminate breakdowns and even accidents before they occur.

Data, data everywhere
Similarly, data can be collected and stored from sensors that monitor engine performance, and these data can be analyzed and even predict problems before they actually occur, saving not only costly repairs but also potentially avoiding injuries or even deaths that could result in the event that a component or system failure would cause a serious accident.

In the event of an accident, modern automobiles can generate important data any time the antilock braking system (ABS) and airbags are activated. Various sensors distributed throughout the vehicle generate these data, which includes detailed braking profiles of the ABS system, time of airbag deployment, engine performance details such as RPMs, the state of the transmission, etc. The data are continuously stored into an on-board computer, much like the black boxes used by the airline industry. Successfully storing and later retrieving data can be extremely valuable in the event that criminal charges or lawsuits follow.

Another important feature currently under consideration by automobile manufacturers is the measurement of G-forces encountered during a crash. Such data can help emergency room personnel understand the specific forces to which the vehicle's occupants were subjected, and provide insight as to what type of physical trauma may have resulted.

Current designs on the drawing board include an electronic module that stores the G-force data. The module can be removed by emergency personnel and transported to the emergency room, along with the patient, where a reader can download the data and give physicians a detailed deceleration profile of the G-forces that resulted from the impact—particularly important when patients are unconscious and unable to provide verbal descriptions of their injuries.