Design and development of an intelligent zone based master electronic control unit for power optimization in electric...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Automotive Engineering
• Computer Science

Background:

• Electric vehicles (EVs) face challenges with incremental development due to energy demands.
• Electronic Control Units (ECUs) manage EV functions but consume power continuously, impacting battery life and vehicle range.
• Passive ECUs, such as adaptive lighting and automatic wipers, contribute significantly to this power drain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To limit power consumption in EVs by intelligently switching power supply to passive ECUs.
• To design and implement an intelligent zone (i-zone) based master ECU system to control slave ECUs.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system in reducing energy consumption and improving EV efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Developed an i-zone based master ECU architecture to activate slave ECUs based on operational requirements.
• Utilized design suites like Proteus and KiCAD for circuit design of master and slave ECUs.
• Built and tested a prototype integrating three secondary ECUs: adaptive lighting systems (ALS), automatic wiper systems (AWS), and brake light systems (BLS).

Main Results:

• The implemented i-zone based master ECU effectively controlled the power supply to passive ECUs.
• Performance evaluation demonstrated a reduction of approximately 40% in battery consumption.
• The system successfully managed power for the integrated ECUs, ensuring safety and reliability.

Conclusions:

• The i-zone based master ECU system offers a viable solution for reducing power consumption in EVs.
• This approach enhances the lifespan of ECUs and extends the driving range of electric vehicles.
• The intelligent power management strategy ensures the safety and reliability of automotive control systems.