As modern vehicles become more technologically advanced, wire harnesses are following suit. Automotive smart wire harness comprise electronic power distribution modules that form an adaptive electric current network to run the automotive components.
Let’s look at these harness’s features, functions, and applications to determine how they differ from the traditional type.
Table of Contents
What Are Automotive Smart Wire Harnesses?
Automotive smart wire harnesses are intelligent electrical routes that manage power distribution and communication signals to various components and modules in a vehicle.
The harness differs from conventional harnesses in its intelligent technology integration that optimizes a vehicle’s performance, efficiency, and safety. It does that using the following features.
- Data communication for real-time information exchange between electronic parts
- Diagnostics capabilities for health and status monitoring
- Safety enhancement using ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) like adaptive lighting and collision avoidance
Adaptive LED headlights
- Energy efficiency due to an optimized electrical distribution network that only powers components when needed
- User interface integration through large touchscreens or voice commands to control various car functions.
- Reduced wiring complexity, which makes the looms lighter, easier to produce, simple to maintain, take up less space, and cheaper (lower harness cost per vehicle)
- Monitoring and data collection by the manufacturer to inform the development of updates before pushing them to the vehicle via authorized service centers or over-the-air
- Remote car control, such as using the key fob or smartphone to start the engine and adjust the climate control function when outside
Remote car start using a smartphone app
Applications of Smart Wire Harnesses
Auto manufacturers use intelligent wire harnesses in the following areas.
Advanced Driver-Assist Systems (ADAS)
ADAS defines various driving assistant features, such as lane departure warning (lane keeping assist), adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, parking assist, hill start assist, and hill descent control.
A vehicle with adaptive cruise control displaying the speed limit when using the feature
Intelligent wire harness technology enables data transmission between these systems, sensors, cameras, etc., and computer modules for real-time communication and decision-making.
These harnesses are also critical for powering autonomous vehicles and enhanced safety features like ABS, stability control, and airbags.
Infotainment Systems
Modern infotainment systems house multiple functions, such as GPS navigation, smartphone connectivity/mirroring, AC/climate control adjustment, and driving mode settings.
So, they need intelligent automotive wiring harness integration to make these functions operate seamlessly.
A car infotainment system showing the 360° camera view
On top of that, some systems feature several user interfaces, with touch being the standard.
But you can also get voice recognition and gestures to enhance the driver and passenger experience.
These functions need intelligent wire harnesses to integrate the UIs and enable seamless operation.
Lighting
When talking about lighting, we refer to the adaptive headlight system, which can adjust to changing road conditions by following the steering movements to illuminate the path ahead better.
Some even react to the vehicle’s speed and elevation to adjust the lighting.
These adjustments take in data from the steering wheel and sensors, meaning they rely on intelligent wire harnesses to interlink the components.
EV Wiring
Electric vehicles have complex wiring systems that primarily monitor the battery’s health status and manage the electricity flow to the motors.
These data and electrical lines must be intelligent to optimize power distribution while monitoring the health of the battery & drivetrain to enhance efficiency.
Power Distribution and Management
Like in EVs, cars with internal combustion engines need optimized engine harnesses that minimize wastage to improve fuel economy and reduce vehicle emissions.
An engine wiring harness
Intelligent wire harnesses optimize the electric power supply to make it consistent on essential components and cut it to other devices when inactive.
Also, it prevents electrical overloads that can fry electronic components.
Others include:
- Climate control
- Remote diagnostics
- Telematics
- Remote monitoring
- Data logging
A mechanic using a laptop to diagnose a motor vehicle
Wrap Up
Automotive smart wire harnesses are bound to increase in newer cars as they advance to become more intelligent.
Also, features like autonomous driving and electric drivetrains will increase their usage.
Airbag harnesses are part of this intelligent wiring. And you can learn about them in this article.
That marks the end of this article, and we hope it has been insightful.
