The Global Report on 42 Volt Technology

The change to a 42-volt power system has been on the agenda since the late 1990s. Key to the development of the system was the realisation that existing 12-v/14.2-v (2W) vehicle power systems would no longer be adequate to deal with the requirements of forthcoming drive-by-wire technologies (including any moves towards automatic vehicle guidance systems, the so-called Intelligent Highway), telematics terminals, and on-board multimedia packages.

The systems are likely to follow established auto industry patterns, by being deployed initially on high-series cars, and gradually cascading down to smaller vehicles. Early adopters are expected to include premier brands such as Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo¯all of whom have a vested interest in promoting radical chassis engineering/mechatronic developments.

The various strands which will knit together to form a cohesive adoption of 42-volt systems are detailed in the first part of this new report from ABOUT Automotive. Weighing against these issues are initial arguments concerning the increased cost and availability of all-new components, and the residual impact on those businesses which are positioned further down the pyramid of motor manufacturing, in particular those involved in dealership service workshops and their suppliers. These issues are dealt with in the second part of the report, which also takes in other ramifications surrounding the adoption of this technology.

New innovations mean opportunities for your business as well as potential hurdles to overcome. Having reliable intelligence on this crucial sector is, therefore, essential.

This report from ABOUT Automotive represents the latest thinking on 42-volt systems, and assesses the current state of the market and predicting likely developments and timescales for adoption.

Key issues covered in this report: