The Important Role of Quartz Oscillators in Automotive Applications

Learn About ECS Inc. Electronic Components that Play an Essential Role in Modern Vehicles

The automotive applications that you have come to depend on while driving a modern vehicle all begin with frequency. A clean, stable signal from a timing circuit allows these electronic components to provide the performance, safety and entertainment features we expect in a car today.

ECS Inc. is a leader in frequency solutions for engineers designing complex safety and entertainment systems for modern vehicles. ECS Inc. ensures that designers can meet the precise requirements their products need. To achieve these timing solutions, ECS Inc. manufactures exceptionally designed quartz crystal oscillators, which generate the high-performing frequencies engineers in the automotive industry require.

Many Components in Modern Vehicles Require Superior Frequency Control from Quartz Oscillators

There are several applications in modern vehicles that require timing circuits that begin with frequency control. A few of the more significant applications that depend on timing circuits are outlined below. Engineers can also discover additional automotive applications that require ECS Inc. oscillators among ECS Inc.’s comprehensive list of resources, as well as a guide to ECS Inc.’s AEC-Q200-qualified products.

• ABS Brakes: Brakes that can sense a loss of traction and prevent your wheels from locking up to restore stability and traction require a frequency-based signal for intelligent road sensing and communication with the vehicle’s brain module. For this feature to work effectively, the electronic components may need to be placed in an area of the vehicle that experiences more vibration and disruption as the vehicle travels over various terrains. In addition, most circuitry in a standard vehicle is subject to adverse temperature changes.
• Collision Avoidance Technology: Any sensor-based application that keeps passengers safe in their vehicle – from alarms that alert the driver to lane drifting, the distance of vehicles ahead, a digital alert to avoid back-up collision and more – all require multiple timing solutions. In fact, they require the cleanest signal possible to ensure that the vehicle is always on alert for safety hazards and can notify the driver in real time. Because quartz crystals are the superior choice for timing solutions, ECS Inc. designs AEC-Q200-qualified timing circuits that support the performance of these applications.
• Electric Vehicle Power Management: An electric vehicle could contain 500 to 600 or more timing circuits to enable battery charging and power regeneration, including additional applications that do not lose performance quality even as the vehicle battery is weakening. ECS Inc.’s MultiVolt™ products are designed to maintain a high level of performance in spite of battery decline, and – for motor vehicles – ECS Inc. offers an MVQ product that provides MultiVolt™ technology, as well as AEC-Q200 qualification.

To meet these needs, ECS Inc. designs quartz oscillators that are AEC-Q200-qualified and ruggedized to survive in a harsh environment. ECS Inc. also designs oscillators with a small form factor. This is an additional consideration for engineers designing for the automotive industry, as these smaller products are less affected by thermal coefficients than larger ones.

How to Find Quartz Oscillators and More for Your Automotive Applications

ECS Inc.’s quartz crystal oscillators are AEC-Q200 qualified – the global standard for automotive electronic components – and are all manufactured to precise specifications including IATF-6949 quality management benchmarks to ensure a high level of performance.

An efficient way to find ECS Inc. products for automotive applications begins with considering your application’s requirements and finding the required AEC-Q200 part.

ECS Inc. offers a designated inventory search hub that has two primary functions:

1. ECS Inc.’s Search Field: If you know the part number for the product you need, simply type it into the search field, then browse the results to find the timing circuit built to the required specifications.
   ECS Inc. Tip: If “Q” is in the part number, that is the ECS Inc. code
   to designate AECQ-200 qualified electronic components.
2. ECS Inc.’s Parametric Search: Engineers can also explore products with ECS Inc.’s parametric search option, which will help narrow the search down to more particular specifications.
   ECS Inc.’s recommendation is to begin filtering the search results by AEC-Q200 products under the “Rating” category. This will limit results to these products. Then, engineers can further refine the search based on highly specific requirements, from frequency and package size, to stability and tolerance.

Engineers designing specific automotive applications will note that AEC-Q200 products are very cost-effective, even with a qualification designation. Further, If the electronic component being designed requires a compliance PPAP, ECS Inc. can accommodate this requirement. In fact, ECS Inc. offers comprehensive engineering support to ensure all automotive-grade timing solutions can be effectively integrated into electronic components designed for vehicles.

Partner with ECS Inc. for Your AEC-Q200-Qualified Quartz Oscillators

The automotive applications drivers rely on today – from the ability to link a smartphone to a car stereo system, to collision technology that applies the brakes when a ball bounces across the road – require a stable, clean frequency – and this begins with the highest-performing surface for frequency: quartz crystals.

ECS Inc.’s timing circuits for vehicles allow engineers to accomplish their goals of advancing these applications and developing new use-cases that require timing solutions. Consider how far car technology has come in the past decade, and how many of these solutions begin with a frequency-based signal. Then, consider the decade ahead. The electronic components that ECS Inc. provides will continue to benefit the automotive industry and drivers on the road.

Connect with ECS Inc. for general information about products and services so that ECS Inc.’s team can provide frequency-based solutions for your specific applications. ECS Inc. looks forward to working with you.