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Safety Assessment in Electric Vehicles

Requirements for electrical safety and evaluation

Regardless of the drive concept, whether hybrid or pure electric, an HV network with a voltage of several 100V will be found in vehicles of the future - in addition to the "normal" on-board voltage of 12V. The high voltages are potentially fatal and therefore give rise to entirely new requirements as regards electrical safety. In addition to electrical safety, functional safety - for example the battery management system - is also extremely important.

Besides the high current and voltage levels, the systems give rise to new electromagnetic interference sources which have a considerable influence on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The problems surrounding EMC are made still more complex through the interaction between highly-dynamic driving safety systems and high-voltage electronics.

Battery safety must be taken into consideration at both the module and the cell level. This includes among other things placement of the battery within the vehicle so as to be proof against a crash, intrinsic electrical safety and the fact that the battery has to be fireproof.

Electrical safety

  • Prevention of fire due to arcing
  • Insulation
  • Equipotential bonding
  • Protection against contact and touching

Functional safety

  • Seminars on the subject of functional safety:
    • Standard or customer-specific workshops on safety standards (including IEC 61508, ISO FDIS 26262, ISO FDIS 25119)
  • Project coaching:
    • Evaluation and analysis of existing safety concepts for products and processes in relation to the relevant specific safety standard
  • Functional Safety Management (FSM):
    • Analysis of structural and procedural organisation
    • Installation of an FSM system which complies with the relevant standard, taking existing quality management systems into consideration
  • Safety Assessment:
    • Risk and hazard analyses, defect analyses etc.
    • Assessment of systems and products, with their safety aspects
    • Support in the development of safety-relevant control devices
  • Certification of functional safety
    • Certification in accordance with appropriate safety standards

Design safety

  • Advice in design matters relating to accident safety
  • Battery placement
  • Laying of high-voltage cables

 

 

 

Occupational health and safety

  • Advice on matters of occupational health and safety
  • Relevant standards
  • Training and further training of electricians
  • Creation of work instructions