Doing an automotive ECU, any good EE reference documents or standards? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: implor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 08:16:57 am
content: Going to do ECU for work and is looking for any good reference literature or standards that need to be followed.Right now I’m wondering if isolation of power and communication is used or not as a general rule. Hard to find good information on Google. Any industry go-to references for automotive electronics. It will have options for both CAN and LIN.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 10:35:48 am
content: That is going to be a fun task to learn all that. Are you really that sure that you want to go down that route as it's not easy to get your head around all the legal stuff you have to do.I spent some time around the types that develop ECU stuff, injectors and those that the type approval stuff. They are all rather special and make TEA members seem normal.

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 06:18:28 pm
content: I guess first thing your employer who wants to get into automotive electronics without any prior experience () should do is to get a consultant on board. TÜV Süd or DEKRA offer consultancy services and can advise you on all standards that apply and any certifications your company might need before even starting such a project.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 06:48:50 pm
content: I remember seeing reference designs from the companies that sold the microcontrollers used in ECU, chiefly PowerPC at the time.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPC5xxhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/automotive-engine-control-unit-microcontroller/

author: Andreas
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 07:04:07 pm
content: Hello,ECU = Engine Control Unit / Electronic Control Unit ?So combustion engine or electrical vehicle?Quote from: implor on December 25, 2022, 08:16:57 amHow much power? (current, frequency, rise time?)The general rule will to keep it as cheap as possible (in series production). So you will have many re-designs until the power stages do no longer interfere with communication.Every OEM has its own standards.And those are usually harder to be fulfiled as the industry standards.with best regardsAndreas

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 07:23:52 pm
content: Is this any help as a starting point?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaSquirt

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2022, 11:36:57 pm
content: Quote from: implor on December 25, 2022, 08:16:57 amOP, ECU's are very complicated and car makers such as Tata go to Bosch, Continental, Westport etc. for ECU's. They just contract buy them.You can't just pick it up and start to make one. It takes decades of experience and cross-discipline i.e. mix of EE, CE, MecE, ChemE to understand the engine thermodynamics, models and embedded systems design and programming, as well as knowing the many automotive standards and how to meet emissions standards as well.Costs for a dyno, or chassis dyno and emissions monitoring equipment, calibration lab etc. are absolutely HUGE. Then you also have to purchase the standards SAE J 1949, ISO 26262 etc. and know them.In reality it's a large team that would do ECU development.

author: implor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2022, 05:10:42 am
content: I think I need to do some clarification.ECU = Electronic control unitIt can be aftermarket installed or oem. It has nothing to do with the engine.It will be connected via something like an OBD2 connector and have LIN or CAN communication.Require 150watt peak but averages are <1w.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2022, 06:29:54 pm
content: I thought I had J1939 standard on my shelf. We never used isolation for J1939 or J1708. With your device plugging onto the OBDII connector I doubt you would have to meet the same requirements.