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Efficient optical technology from KDPOF for safe backbone in vehicles

Web Seminar: Use of Plastic Optical Fiber in Automotive

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On August 13, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. IST (Indian Standard Time, 6:00 to 7:30 a.m. UTC), César Esteban will give the online seminar “The Use of Plastic Optical Fiber in the Automotive Industry”. The seminar is organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers India (SAE India).

Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) is becoming an integral part of the vehicle with interfaces to many different clusters of the electric/electronic systems in the automotive industry. POF is the medium of choice for automotive networks, primarily due to its versatility and is the best alternate solution to existing wiring technology. The key advantages of the optical solution are, among others, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) thanks to its inherent galvanic isolation, robustness, low weight, and low cost. In his seminar, César Esteban will cover the following topics: the need for automotive wire line connectivity to evolve to Ethernet, advantages of optical links, use cases for fiber optics, as well as POF value chain and proposal.

For more information, please see the seminar brochure from SAE India.

Registration is open.

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Job Opening: Digital Verification Engineer

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Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Verify digital logic using SystemVerilog and reusable, standardized methodologies. Verify digital systems that use both custom and standard IP components and interconnects, including microprocessor cores and hierarchical memory subsystems.
  • Contribute to verification and modeling at the chip top level.
  • Debug tests with design engineers to deliver functionally correct design blocks. Work closely with the design and test teams to define test specifications, verification plans and manufacturing transfer.

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KDPOF Contact information

Job Opening: Digital Firmware-Software Engineer

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Tasks and Responsibilities

Member of the R&D team in charge of the development of embedded firmware running on the company integrated circuits microprocessors, as well as development of the test programs used in production testing. The responsibilities of the Firmware/Test Engineer also include:

  • Development of the continuous integration tests of the microprocessor firmware during ASIC prototyping.
  • Participate in specification and review of the PCBs used to implement the production testing of the company’s products.
  • Participation on the development of technology evaluation vehicles as well as software development kits.
  • Automatization of laboratory tests and measurements using programming languages like Matlab, TCL, Python.

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Job opening: Senior Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer

Job Opening: Senior Mixed-signal IC Design Engineer

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Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Specification of the analog and mixed signal blocks that are embedded in the system (ADC, DAC, PLL, data interfaces, optoelectronics …).
  • Design (from schematic to full verification at extracted level) of the analog and mixed-signal blocks in sub-nanometric CMOS processes. It means being involved in the full AMS design flow: system-level design, schematic, layout and full verification.
  • Definition of layout guidelines for layout engineers and review of their work.
  • Collaboration with the test engineers for the testing definition of the fabricated ICs. Review and analysis of lab characterization data for validation and correlation with simulation results.

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Job Opening: Firmware/Test EngineerKDPOF

Job Opening: Digital Design & Backend Engineer

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Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Implement ASIC / SoCs / FPGAs for multiple products, starting at the specification & design phase, continuing through technology selection, implementation, and validation. Innovation in performance, power and cost to build the best possible product is a must.
  • Participate in all phases of ASIC / FPGA design flow (Synthesis, Place & Route, and Timing Closure) as required.
  • Work with backend teams to address any layout and timing issues for ASICs.
  • Verification by emulation with FPGAs in the lab.
  • Involvement in lead-up, validation, characterization and qualification phases of ASICs.

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KDPOF drives efforts for a new optical multi-gigabit automotive standard with scalable network technology (Copyright: metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images)metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images

KDPOF Joins European Photonics Industry Consortium EPIC

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We are proud to participate in the EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium) network and connect with over 700 member companies in 35 countries. “EPIC is the ideal community to further drive the joint development and standardization of multi-gigabit technology in vehicles, which offers the automotive market an optical solution that is both competitive and robust,” stated Carlos Pardo. As the industry association with the largest network, EPIC fosters a vibrant photonics ecosystem by maintaining a strong network and acting as a catalyst and facilitator for technological and commercial advancement. In addition, it maintains the European photonics database. On these grounds, we are growing an ecosystem of partners that will be greatly fostered thanks to the EPIC cluster.

IEEE 802.3 Automotive Optical Multi-Gigabit Standard

With technological leaps such as electrical vehicles, automated driving, and V2X interconnection rushing forward, automotive applications, utilization, and safety requirements are boosting the necessary network speed tremendously. Consequently, in-vehicle networks are on the brink of speeds from one to multiple gigabits per second. With the approval of the IEEE 802.3 working group, a team of individuals affiliated with more than 15 key carmakers and components suppliers, including KDPOF, is working on the standardization of an IEEE 802.3 Automotive Optical Multi-Gigabit Standard with strong support from the industry.

The key advantages of the optical solution for specific applications using multi-gigabit speeds with in-vehicle connectivity are, among others, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) thanks to the inherent galvanic isolation, low weight, and low cost. Use cases include the interconnectivity of telematics control modules, redundant and safe backbones for autonomous driving architectures, and advanced driver assist system (ADAS) sensors. The technology will be scalable in order to enable even higher data rates such as 50 and 100 Gbps in the future. By combining optimization in all areas of the new standard, the right balance of complexity and cost among all parts (CMOS IC, VCSEL, PD, ferrules, sleeves, cable, in-line connection technology, optics, and lenses, etc.) can be achieved in order to deliver the lowest cost, most reliable, and most highly scalable solution to the automotive market.

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Safe backbone with optical and copperKDPOF

Wire Harness Congress: Multi-gigabit Networking Demands Complete Optical Communications System

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At the virtual Wire Harness Congress on September 22, 2021, KDPOF will inform about the status of Optical Multi-gigabit Connectivity in vehicles. In their presentation at 11:45, Juergen Schachtschneider, Automotive Manager Central Europe & Greater China, and César Esteban, Applications & Support Manager, will propose a complete optical communications system, which is under development by KDPOF and their industry partners.

As the auto industry approaches the 50 Gb/s*m speed-length threshold, the need to move from copper to optical physical data transmission media is becoming mandatory. Optical is the engineering-wise path for higher data rates. Together with several industry leaders, KDPOF is working on an optical communications system that will complement existing copper networks. Instead of various single devices, the new solution provides a complete package. The proposed Multi-gigabit system leverages existing technologies, as VCSELs (Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser), multimode fibers and photodiodes already developed for the data centers industry. It will support Energy-Efficient Ethernet (EEE) tailored for automotive applications. The target BER is better than 10-12 with ambient operating temp from -40ºC up to 105ºC (AEC-Q100 grade 2) in harsh automotive environments. High reliability (15 yrs operation, less than 10 FIT) and outstanding EMC compliance will also be fulfilled. The technology in development is based on advanced digital signal processing based on high-speed DAC and ADC to implement all needed algorithms such as equalization or pre-coding. First engineering samples of the new automotive, single-chip, fully integrated Fiber Optic Transceiver package solution for 10 Gb/s will be available in fall 2021. A new optical automotive IVN communication standard is currently under development within IEEE under the name 802.3cz and is supported by several industry-leading companies.

We look forward to meeting you online at the congress! For any inquiries, please feel free to contact Juergen Schachtschneider.

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