Yazaki and Johnson Controls Further Strategic Partnership
6 March 2000
Yazaki North America and Johnson Controls Further Strategic Partnership To Address 42-Volt Automobile Technology
CANTON, Mich., March 6 Yazaki North America, Inc. (YNA), a
leading provider of vehicle power and data solutions to the automotive
industry, announced today the details of a project resulting from the recently
formed strategic relationship with Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI). The benefits
of the relationship, according to Nigel Thompson, YNA executive vice
president, is that these two leading companies can share complimentary
expertise in vehicle power design, the result being a more tailored solution
able to better meet customer needs. Thompson made the announcement at the SAE
2000 World Congress at Detroit's Cobo Center.
The first significant project developed under the relationship is the
creation of a total system approach to powering and enabling 42-volt vehicle
architecture that will satisfy increasing vehicle power needs. YNA and JCI's
significant advantage is their communication and expertise sharing that allows
these partners to offer new and enhanced features not gained by separate and
closed development. Project results are focused on providing solutions to
many of the problems that have hindered the progress of a practical 42-volt
system, such as how to provide power to low-voltage loads such as lights
while, at the same time, providing for the energy needs of heavy-duty loads
such as electric braking systems, engine management systems, electrically
heated catalytic converters and other impending high-demand loads.
"This partnership, and the resulting product, or system, really, will have
a far reaching impact on the further integration of high-end electronic and
data applications in tomorrow's vehicles," said Thompson, "This will be the
foundation upon which we can build not only better vehicles, but smarter
vehicles as well."
YNA is supplying the expertise in load management. Yazaki's new Smart
Load Control Center or SmartLCC(TM) is the key component to a more efficient
distributed network that enables 42-volt power to be distributed throughout
the vehicle thus reducing and simplifying the wire harness. Current industry
thinking regarding 42-volt architectures includes both 42-volt and 14-volt
circuits and a substantial DC to DC converter. To simplify the power
distribution system, Yazaki recommends distributing 42 volts to the SmartLCC
that provides 14-volts RMS as needed via pulse-width modulation (PWM). Yazaki
proprietary algorithms tightly control the power for lower voltage components.
By driving the vehicle lighting system with a SmartLCC, the 14-volt battery
and DC/DC converter power can be reduced by 500 watts to achieve a cost
reduction of up to 40 percent.
Yazaki's SmartLCC intelligence required to drive PWM loads is also used
for load balancing, diagnostics capability and control. Not only are the
relays and fuses reduced, but also some body controllers. The controlled
pulses themselves can initiate complex functions in motors and in some cases
allow them to be simplified.
According to Myron Trenne, vice president of advanced technology for
Yazaki, the Smart LCC serves as a building block, and eases the transition
from 14-volt to 42-volt systems by providing power source flexibility without
complication.
JCI's Inspira battery is the stored energy foundation of the system, and
is housed in a 42-volt Advanced Power System (APS) unit. The APS, initially
presented by JCI at the recent North American International Auto Show,
contains this compact yet powerful battery and a small DC to DC converter, and
also includes JCI's smart charge management control to dramatically increase
battery life. All of these components are incorporated into an integrated
electrical connection assembly made by Yazaki. This efficient assembly will
also contain power components like the primary fuse circuit, relays, charging
DC/DC system and connection technologies. The entire system is thermally
protected in a streamlined enclosure.
"The dynamic interaction between the APS and the Smart LCC optimizes the
total electrical system," said Trenne, "achieving the best possible 42-volt
solution that offers new options to better meet customer needs."
"We are very energized about our partnership with JCI," added Trenne. "We
believe that by collaborating on projects such as this, bringing our combined
strengths, engineering expertise and experience in this technology to bear, we
will help fulfill the current void present in the industry."
Quote from JCI executive
Yazaki Corporation as a global leader in the development and manufacturing
of vehicle power and data solutions is continually researching and developing
advanced electronic technologies for vehicles. Yazaki produces many
components associated with electrical distribution systems, including
instrumentation, junction blocks, connector systems, electronics and advanced
technology.
Worldwide, the company employs more than 100,000 people in 30 countries,
1,400 of whom are based in the company's new North American corporate
headquarters and research center in Canton, Mich.
Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global market leader in automotive systems and
facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major
supplier of seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non-residential
facilities, Johnson Controls provides building control systems and services,
energy management and integrated facility management. Johnson Controls
, founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its
sales for 1999 totaled US $16.1 billion.