Consumer Electronics and Cars
Abstract
Mojan and Fred discuss consumer electronics and cars. Consumer and automotive electronics may share similar technologies, but their reliability challenges are worlds apart. Designing for the stresses of a living room is nothing like designing for the stresses inside a car.
Key Points
Join Mojan and Fred as they discuss:
Why testing approaches for consumer devices don’t translate directly to automotive.
How heat, vibration, integration, and even everyday scenarios (like food spills) shape design.
The role of data in understanding real-world usage — and the risks of misinterpreting it.
How reparability, feature integration, and customer expectations influence design choices.
Cars are becoming rolling electronics platforms — but keeping them reliable requires a very different playbook.
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
Show Notes
Relvera – Reliability & Failure Analysis Engineering Consulting
Thanks for the comments. I checked (Tesla, Toyota, Lexus, and “cars”) and automotive dashboard display (touch-screen?) computers don’t seem to be made by familiar companies: e.g. Apple, Pixel, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, although they are compatible with Apple and Android os. https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/g64541041/best-portable-carplay-screens-tested/
It’s so long since I worked in automotive aftermarket that I have no relevant reliability statistics for computerized electronics. Did make nonparametric reliability estimates and store demand forecasts for auto electrical and electronics: including infamous Ford incendiary ignition switches (from VINs, parts’ catalogs, and periodic store sales). If anybody wants to find out, send data.
BTW that job included assigning VINs to aftermarket parts stores by Voronoi Tesselation (tiling US vehicles to nearest neighbor store), unlike California’s gerrymandering Prop. 50 congressional districting
https://redistricting.lls.edu/state/california/?cycle=2020&level=Congress&startdate=2021-12-26/
My wife wanted an “Extreme Pizza” (Livermore) where I sat and watched Tesla owners back in to charging stations, plug in charger, and walk off to??? She asked how does that work? I proposed that maybe Tesla owners program their iphones to charge the car and the charger somehow reads the cars’ serial numbers to know whom to bill for the charge. RONG as usual
Google AI says: https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+does+tesla+charger+know+whom+to+bill+for+a+charge%3F&cvid=6eaa461107dc4ec09eb78a6a8c172305&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQ6wcYQNIBCTIwNzE4ajBqOagCALACAQ&FORM=ANAB01&PC=LCTS/