System Analysis of Vehicle Low-Voltage Energy Paths as Initial Step for a Predictive Diagnosis

As defined in ISO 26262, a diagnosis offers a cost-effective way to increase vehicle energy systems’ safety requirements. So far, alternative hardware and thus cost-intensive security concepts have been applied. In this paper, a new approach is presented to evaluate and methodically compare the components of vehicles’ low-voltage energy paths in terms of a sensitivity analysis. With the proposed method, these components can be evaluated, on the one hand, regarding their susceptibility to degradations, and on the other, the installation area-specific influences and effects. From the derived effect structure and effect matrix, the required target variable, and a path’s most vulnerable component can be identified. These steps are a prerequisite for assessing a path’s "state of health" and for predicting the remaining useful life.