IEEE Electrification Magazine - March 2020 - 62

Family

Module A

Module B

Module C

Module D

Radio
Front Speaker
Back Speaker
Door Speakers
Crossover
Touchscreen
Mobile Hotspots
Bluetooth Units
...

Radio
Front Speaker
Door Speakers
Crossover
Touchscreen
Bluetooth Units
...

Radio
Back Speaker
Door Speakers
Touchscreen
Bluetooth Units
...

Radio
Front Speaker
Door Speakers
Bluetooth Units
...

Figure 1. There may be some module options to fulfill a specific vehicle functionality (family).

Figure 2. The complete EDS of a vehicle can be composed by a set of
different wire harnesses. (Source: SEAT S.A.; used with permission.)

there may be up to 1010 possible wiring architectures, which
requires a great logistics effort to integrate, disperse, and
store data from manufacturers and suppliers. The development of software platforms must suitably visualize,
analyze, and simulate these intricate vehicular electrical
networks in multiple possible configurations and scenarios.
The prompt detection of failures in the electrical distribution system (EDS), such as unwanted voltage drops or
erroneous components sizing, can be achieved only by
means of versatile power-flow simulation. Hence, those
configurations not complying with operational and safety
requirements could be dismissed in an early project stage.
With a simulation phase evaluating many architectures
within the EDS design, the prototyping stage could simply
be used to endorse the results previously attained with
numerical methods. Therefore, the time to market may be
shortened, as the required number of prototypes could be
potentially reduced.
To enhance flexibility and reliability in virtual ex--
perimentation, the inclusion of thermal constraints,

I E E E E l e c t r i f i cati o n M agaz ine / MARCH 2020

hardware in-the-loop (HiL), and power
traction networks is of great significance. Additionally, these simulation platforms should also assist
designers with analytical reasoning by means of interactive interfaces. To realize this, it is crucial for
these tools to include perspectives
from visual analytics (VA), a multidisciplinary field that has gained
significant attention in recent
years because it facilitates human-
information interaction and intuitive understanding of complex
systems with large data sets, as in
the case of vehicle EDSs.

The Wiring Design
Process in Vehicles

Currently, most manufacturers
offer selectable functionalities to
customers for a particular car model, even if this greatly
increases the logistics complexity of the development
process. A modularity strategy is used to allow this customization while ensuring proper electrical operation in
all of the configurations. This approach is based on the
use of families and modules. A family consists of a
group of elements able to perform a specific function,
such as the sound system, which is made up of different
components, including the radio, front speakers, back
speakers, touchscreen, and so on. The components, in
turn, are organized inside modules. With this technique,
a family can be formed by different modules, each composed by predefined components, that might represent
a different level of complexity of the required functionality (Figure 1). In the example of the sound system family, possible configurations could include modules A and
B. Module A could represent a better-equipped sound
system compared to module B.
The elements in a specific family include not only
electrical (fuses, wires, relays, connectors, and loads [i.e.,
the speakers in the example]) but also fixing and protective parts, such as clips and tapes. As a general rule, for
each family in the vehicle, only one module can be chosen, as the final client can select just one of the various
possible configurations (modules) for a given functionality. Once a specific module has been selected for each
family, a detailed description of a specific and unique wiring harness configuration is built. Depending on the previous selections, the complete EDS of a vehicle can be
composed of a set of different wire harnesses (such as
that depicted in Figure 2): for instance, a harness for the
interior, which transports energy to most of the consumers, but also smaller harnesses, such as those for the
doors or bumper. The types of loads included in the harness have a significant impact on the selection of its

IEEE Electrification Magazine - March 2020

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