Shaping mobility: Key role of measurement technology.

Question 1:

How does dataTec AG position itself as a specialist retailer for test and measurement technology in the automotive industry and what role do you play as a partner for manufacturers and suppliers?

Response:

As a leading specialist retailer, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for a wide range of measurement requirements - especially for the automotive sector. We focus on providing our customers with customised and high-quality test solutions that meet the high demands of vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. We see ourselves as a partner and support our customers in selecting the best possible test system for their measurement tasks. We attach great importance to cooperation and accompany our customers with comprehensive advice along the entire purchasing process - right through to application training.

Question 2:

How do you assess the future development of measurement technology in the automotive industry?

Response:

The future of test and measurement technology in the automotive industry is extremely promising, especially with regard to the shift towards e-mobility and autonomous driving. With the increasing number of electric vehicles and the increased use of electronic components, electronic test and measurement technology is becoming more and more important. This is because it is crucial that all systems and functions are secure and work together flawlessly.

Increasing demands on the bandwidth and speed of multi-gigabit Ethernet in vehicles is also leading to extended measurement tasks to ensure signal integrity and protocol functions. Therefore, we will continue to focus on innovative measurement solutions that enable the comprehensive, reliable testing and optimisation of vehicle components.

Another important point is the further development of battery technology. With the paradigm shift towards high-voltage batteries, for example, new issues regarding EMI interference effects are coming into the spotlight. However, the application safety of the test engineers as well as energy efficiency are also having an influence on test management in terms of the electricity flowing. With regenerative loads and power supply units, for example, surplus energy can be reused almost without loss or fed back into the power grid.

Quastion 3:

How does dataTec's portfolio support electrification in the automotive industry? Do you have any specific examples?

Response:

The range of applications for our measurement technology for e-mobility is enormous. It is used, for example, in the vehicle network to identify communication errors. The functionality and quality of radio standards and multimedia applications (infotainment, navigation, etc.) can also be verified with our measurement devices. This includes the simulation of special scenarios such as voltage disturbances. In addition, vehicle components such as antennas and control units (ECUs) must be tested, for example with regard to their electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Compliance with defined test standards in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines plays a major role here, which we as a measurement technology provider take into account in our portfolio.

In particular, our measurement technology is also used for testing battery cells and battery management systems (BMSs). This, among other things, involves optimising the performance and range of the batteries and monitoring the power consumption of the electronics involved. With a BMS, for example, you want to know whether the communication between the controllers or the charging management system is working. Intelligent test and measurement technology, e. g. a battery cell simulator or a battery test system, ultimately ensures the stability and performance of batteries. This makes it indispensable for BMS developers and chip manufacturers, battery pack manufacturers, algorithm developers for balancing processes and certification laboratories, as well as vehicle manufacturers who want to carry out a functional test before a BMS is integrated into series production.

In addition, there are many other applications such as testing charge controllers, inverters and HV components.

Question 4:

What general trends do you see for test and measurement technology in the automotive industry?

Response:

We closely observe the trends in the industry and are in exchange with customers and manufacturers of test and measurement technology in order to continuously expand our product range and offer our customers suitable solutions. In terms of the future, I see several trends, without going too deep into the subject here: The integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will play a role. These technologies enable the more efficient analysis of big data and the development of intelligent diagnostic tools.

Another trend is the increasing automation of test systems and their global connectivity to enable access to the test sequences regardless of location and to increase efficiency. In terms of cost savings, the flexible adaptability of such test systems to new, future measurement tasks is also relevant - for example, through software options and hardware extensions. In this way, it will be possible to respond quickly to changes in radio standards, test standards and technologies.

Overall, it is our task as a specialist retailer to respond to these trends and to be able to provide the test engineers responsible with products and solutions for their measurement tasks.