An Overview of Automotive EM Standards CISPRs ISO SAE FCC EN ICNIRP


From the days when an automotive vehicle used to be necessarily mechanical with spark ignition to today when decades of developments have brought us to the age of electrical, electronic and computer-controlled automotive systems, vehicles have become a complicated ensemble of many types of electronic equipment. Back in the days when an ordinary vehicle used to have a handful of electrical systems, electrical testing was enough, but for a contemporary technologically well-equipped car, electromagnetic interference (EMI)/electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) has become a major concern. Hence, arises the necessity of regulations and standards. In today’s world, an automobile must go through several EMC tests before going into production. Those tests start from component/module level to vehicular testing and includes electromagnetic emission (radiated emissions) and radiated immunity/susceptibility, and electromagnetic radiation hazard to ensure no harm is done to the passengers of the automobile. In this article, a short summary of the major regulatory standards for automotive EMC/EMI will be discussed. The discussion will be divided into two major areas: Immunity and Emission testing.