Given the rapidly changing vehicle propulsion landscape, automakers today are seeking supplier solutions that are cutting edge and reduce time and costs. This is one of the reasons Delphi Technologies’ Direct Injection Flexible Application Specific Integrated Circuit (DIFlex ASIC or DIFlex) was selected as an Automotive News 2020 PACE Award winner.
The DIFlex ASIC is a game changer. It is one of the best electronic fuel control solutions available today that can meet automakers’ combined demands for capability and cost. Its superior flexibility and diagnostic control of direct injection optimize combustion for higher efficiency and lower emissions. When compared with previous generations of integrated circuits (ICs), the DIFlex delivers:
- 20 percent drop in deployment costs.
- 25 percent cut in software complexity.
- Ten-fold improvement in injector drive flexibility.
- Three-fold increase in diagnostic capabilities.
“Engines will continue to thrive for many years to come, in conventional and hybrid powertrains,” said Rick Dauch, CEO, Delphi Technologies. “The DIFlex is an incredible advancement for our customers because it provides critical options they need now to improve vehicle fuel economy and emissions performance. We’re honored to be recognized with this PACE Award, and I congratulate our engineering teams for their pioneering spirit and continued commitment to solving our customers’ toughest propulsion technology challenges in creative and innovative ways.”
Global mandates for increased fuel economy and reduced emissions are driving the need for continued propulsion innovation that delivers cleaner, more efficient engines. Often, the secret to boosting system performance lies within its electronics. While the technologies have evolved modestly over time, the advances needed in both the hardware and software to improve flexibility, diagnostics, durability and performance, as well as reduce costs, had not emerged until the DIFlex.
The DIFlex uses unique electrical architectures to allow the generation of a virtually unlimited number of control waveforms, or electrical signals, to optimize injector performance for the combustion event that’s at the heart of every internal combustion engine. Its patented features allow it to keep pace with engine technology changes without needing to replace the engine control unit (ECU), as well as improve precision and real-time diagnostics over the life of the vehicle. The result is an IC capable of delivering extreme flexibility through software versus the need for continual changes in the hardware.
A flexible and adaptable design also means that the same IC can be used in gasoline and diesel engines of any cylinder count or configuration, from light-duty passenger vehicles to heavy-duty commercial trucks. This lets automakers cover multiple engine families with a single hardware solution, which creates significant economies of scale. Its advanced diagnostics provide the ability to pinpoint fault locations and to detect problems as they occur. These advanced features are key to enabling precise fuel delivery for optimal engine performance and reduced emissions over the long term.
For the past quarter of a century, the Automotive News PACE Awards have honored superior innovation, technological advancement and business performance among automotive suppliers. The award is judged by an independent panel of technologists and is recognized around the world as the industry benchmark for innovation. The winners were recognized for their achievements at a special online ceremony April 28, 2020.
SOURCE: Delphi Technologies
