Cost-Effective Wire-Harness Model by Using Polymer Optical Fiber

Abstract

In the past decade automotive industries faced the exponential increase of in-vehicle electronic devices. The hydraulic systems are replacing with sophisticate electronic systems. Market demands for exploiting new in-vehicle technologies such as multimedia systems, internet access, GPS, Mobile communication, internal private network; engine, body and power train intelligent control and monitoring systems are increasing daily. These new needs make the wire-harness as physical pathway for power and data more complex. The amount of different data types’ transmission in vehicle networking requires higher bandwidth and subsequently applying expensive and advanced equipment. Also more functions and facilities lead to raise the number of Electronic Control Units (ECU). The high cost of manufacturing and implementing all mentioned equipment and systems only can be justified to luxury vehicle’s high prices. This study presents a conceptual model of in-vehicle networking which would lead to apply considerable portion of these advanced systems in non-luxury vehicles. In this context, Polymer Optical Fibers (POF) exploited to achieve high speed bandwidth and cost-effective solution to transfer huge amount of data and one ECU to control and manage body/cabin electronic devices. Regarding to technical specification of POFs and using visible light as data carrier, they can meet all new needs of implementing modern expected technologies for non-luxury cars at inexpensive solution. In addition, POFs are easy-to-use, reliable and flexible in compare with silica base optical fibers. This study suggests three red, blue and green lights for transferring video/audio, communication data network such as internet/vehicle internal network and body/cabin command lines respectively. Moreover, this concept model claims for reducing wire-harness with integration of command lines into multiplexed POF line. By command lines integration also it is possible to merge several power lines into one load calculated and shared power wire along the vehicle. After that, this conceptual model can decrease the amount of different connectors and control switches in car electronic systems. At last, this solution can effects on all steps of vehicle design, manufacturing and assembly process, especially in electronic section.