Technology considerations for automotive [automotive electronics]

In this paper, the evolution of automotive electronics and the specific electronic requirements posed by the automotive environment are discussed. Safety is a very dominant factor in automotive applications and this has a large impact on the required robustness of the electronics. As an example, DMOS optimization and ESD robustness considerations have led to the N-epi based structure of the AMIS 13T automotive technology. On top of the robust technology, innovative design techniques are described which further improve the robustness of the high voltage smart power applications for the harsh environment of the automotive electronics.