Seeking solutions to improve the accuracy and reliability of battlefield equipment

The 2018 Automotive Technology Expo, a three-day event covering automotive electronics and testing technologies, concluded on July 20th. Hosted by MyForum and held at the aT Center in Seoul, the expo saw a total of 89 participating companies showcase their technological prowess under the theme, "Talking about Advanced Automotive Technology Innovation."

The hot topic in the automotive electronics industry has been the search for solutions that can improve the accuracy and reliability of automotive electronics equipment to fully realize autonomous vehicles, automotive infotainment, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

On the 18th, KT announced the beginning of the construction of Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) on Jeju Island. C-ITS is a system that transmits real-time, ever-changing traffic conditions around individual vehicles to and from roadside sensors. It serves as the foundation for traffic accident prevention, autonomous cooperative driving, and even autonomous driving. This is against the backdrop of a growing market demand for finished vehicles equipped with high-level battlefield technology.

This expo showcased a variety of battlefield technologies, including sensor technology that accurately receives rapidly changing external information, signal technology that transmits large amounts of information without distortion or loss, and testing technology that determines whether advanced technologies are properly implemented.


Verification solution for measuring noise in various equipment

The fundamental foundation of automobiles is evolving from mechanical devices to small data centers. In the future, cars could be equipped with 15 sensor sets, each containing 50 sensors generating approximately 4 terabytes of data per day. As environments where massive amounts of data flow at high speeds become increasingly common, testing to verify the smooth operation of electrical equipment has become increasingly important.

Tektronix Korea showcased its automotive-specific equipment and solution testing technology.

Tektronix RSA306B USB Spectrum Analyzer

Tektronix's oscilloscopes, probes, and various analyzers help operators easily identify equipment problems. For example, Tektronix's portable spectrum analyzers allow operators to easily change locations and measure spectrum. Because they are not box-type devices, they can also be connected to a PC via USB for analysis. In addition to testing battlefield equipment, it can also test existing mechanical equipment, such as powertrains.


A test system that determines actual sensor performance through virtual scenarios.

National Instruments (NI) Korea showcased its automotive radar test system. At the booth, visitors could see a testing demonstration utilizing actual Continental radar sensors and a motorized stage. NI's automotive radar test system is specialized for testing the complexities of autonomous vehicles.

NI's mmWave transceiver, capable of reproducing 76-81 GHz, is used in a solution that connects to NI's radar target simulator (RTS) to verify whether actual radar sensors recognize targets. The RTS calculates scenarios, or situations a virtual vehicle might encounter, and verifies whether actual radar sensors recognize targets. NI's RTS supports a variety of scenarios, including 2 targets 1 angle, 2 targets 2 angles, and 4 targets 2 angles, in addition to the 1 target 1 angle offered by existing solutions.


Software that verifies the basics from the circuit diagram up.

Polyog has introduced the PollEx series, which can verify and evaluate product designs.

CAD is one of the most widely used software for developing battlefield products. However, its high cost means it's primarily used by original designers. Consequently, other designers rely on paper printouts of their designs. Folio provides a more affordable way for other designers to easily access PCB design information.

PCB analysis is a field that began in 1981 and has seen extensive research and development. It's common practice to conduct interpretation or verify rule bases at the PCB stage. Recently, to conserve resources, many electronics companies are moving to verify circuit diagrams before PCBs are even produced.

Battlefield products begin with the schematics and are then delivered as finished products, and the PollEx series can be used at every stage. It allows designers to identify areas prone to error and conduct stress tests.


Software and collaborative robots that improve battlefield equipment productivity.

SuaLab unveiled SuaKIT, a deep learning-powered machine vision inspection software for manufacturing. Its versatility extends beyond automotive components to include semiconductors, automotive exteriors, batteries, camera modules, solar cells/modules, non-destructive testing, steel, displays, films, PCBs, and leather.

While conventional machine vision inspection systems require manual coding of multiple parameters related to defects, SuaKIT, which incorporates machine learning, can inspect defects with just a normal image and a defective image. The deep learning algorithm learns from both examples and identifies the presence or absence of defects.

Universal Robots (UR) focuses on automating automotive production using collaborative robots.

The newly launched e-Series is a collaborative robot designed to facilitate user-friendly tasks. It is easy to program, quick to install, and easy to relocate. Furthermore, it is safe. Eighty percent of UR robots worldwide operate alongside users without safety guarding. UR's safety system is approved and certified by TÜV (The German Technical Inspection Association).

Universal Robots UR3e

The UR series features a sensor at the end that detects force and takes appropriate action. Repeatability has been improved from ±0.1mm in the previous CB series to ±0.03mm, enabling more precise and repeatable work.


In a time of change, companies dream of a new leap forward based on a solid foundation.

As the commercialization of driverless cars becomes increasingly realistic, the automotive industry is facing an unprecedented period of change. Consumers, who previously considered cars robust, are now also considering their intelligence. Companies participating in this expo were striving to meet client needs by emphasizing the innovativeness of new solutions while also enhancing the reliability of existing ones.