IPC at CES: e-Mobility’s Road to Reliability

by John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO

As CES kicks-off the new year in Las Vegas, the world looks forward to learning about the latest breakthrough electronic technologies that will shape our future.

One area that has captured considerable interest in recent years at CES is e-Mobility. There will be more than 250 exhibitors in the mobility category, including Mercedes, VinFast, BMW, Honda, Kia, and Volkswagen. Also, present are EVs, autonomous cars, and personal-transport vehicles. Updates are planned on the OEM push for “software defined vehicles” including the incorporation of AI chatbots inside the car.

The automotive industry is undergoing tremendous transformational changes driven by electrification. For example:

• Electronics will comprise approximately 55% of an EV bill of materials (BOM) cost up from 16% for an ICE 4-wheel vehicle. ¹
• Engines are being replaced by battery packs.  The battery pack is monitored and controlled by the addition of a battery management system (BMS). 
• The transmission is being replaced by motor and controller.  Inverters and converters are being used to regulate voltage to the motor and for charging.
• Cameras, radar, and lidar are being used to sense inside and outside of the vehicle and serve as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
• Wireless technologies are used to connect certain systems and reduce wiring. 
• New display and multimedia technologies are being added to enhance the ability of the driver to interface with the growing number of applications.

These transformational systems being showcased at CES truly are mesmerizing—so much so that it is often easy to overlook the incredible innovation in electronics manufacturing that makes these systems possible. Behind the name brands are thousands of manufacturers that are testing the limits of the possible to build the electronics of tomorrow.

This electronics manufacturing ecosystem is especially important in the automotive industry with a shift in requirements and reliability challenges due to electrification including “24/7 always-on” operating conditions, higher operating temperatures, the need for controlling temperature regimes, as well as higher voltages, and higher currents. The technology adoption is occurring at a rapid pace. But oversight is required to ensure the new electronic components maintain the expected high level of quality and reliability associated with Automotive.

While these issues will likely take second fiddle at CES, they are a focus of IPC APEX EXPO this spring. Electronics design and manufacturing standards, created to enhance quality and reliability, is where IPC has served its members well for decades and will continue with the Automotive transformation to EVs.  Electric and autonomous vehicles depend on various connectors, interconnects, and PCB assemblies for power transmission, data communication, and signal integrity.  Maintaining reliable connections by addressing issues such as corrosion, wear, and vibration-induced failures is essential for overall e-Mobility system reliability.

IPC’s e-Mobility Initiative tackles these issues by collaborating with industry experts to identify best practices and solutions to advance Automotive’s quality and safety.

The core objectives of IPC’s e-Mobility Initiative include:

• Assure strong design, materials, and process optimization and qualification solutions
• Achieve reliability and quality while advancing innovation
• Remain current with technological changes
• Prevent future field failures

So, marvel at the automotive technologies at CES and prepare to roll up your sleeves at IPC APEX EXPO. As exciting as recent advancements in automotive are, I’m convinced that the most exciting developments are still ahead!

1 “Technology at the Forefront of Electric Vehicles,” Report by KPMG, April 2023, p.14