Automotive Fiber Optics | V1 Fiber

How Are Fiber Optics Used in the Automotive Industry? 

Historically, the automotive industry relied on copper cables to create systems that need to receive and relay information. These systems, often related to security and safety, are now integrated into most vehicles, so there is a desire among car manufacturers to save money creating and installing them. Fiber optic cables are steadily becoming the most effective cables for motor vehicles, and they can transmit and receive more information than copper cables in a shorter amount of time.

What Are Fiber Optics?

Optical fiber, often called fiber optics, is a technology capable of transmitting information through light pulses via a glass or plastic fiber. A standard optic cable comprises a few to hundreds of glass fibers. A buffer layer and a jacket protect the glass layer surrounding the fiber core, called cladding. Fiber optic cables offer numerous advantages over traditional copper cables, especially in transmission speeds and bandwidth, so the automotive industry commonly utilizes them.

How Do Fiber Optic Cables Work?

Fiber optics transmit data through photons (light particles) that move through a fiber optic cable. The core and cladding of the cable both have a unique refractive index that bends incoming light to a specific angle. As the light signals travel through the cable, they are reflected by the core and cladding in various zig-zag bounces, a process known as total internal reflection. Since the light signals are forced to travel through a dense layer of glass, they typically travel 30% slower than the speed of light. Many fiber optics transmission cables utilize repeaters to regenerate the optical signal by converting it to an electrical one to boost or renew the signal during the journey.

Fiber Optic Cables vs. Traditional Copper Cables

Traditionally, the automotive industry, like most other industries, preferred to use copper cables. However, as time progressed, many manufacturers noticed the benefits of using fiber optics. Compared to traditional copper cables, fiber optic cables can offer the following advantages:

• They are less susceptible to interference.
• They can support higher bandwidth capacities.
• They can be submerged in water.
• They can be replaced or maintained less frequently.
• Light can travel further without needing as much of a signal boost.

Car manufacturers often prefer fiber optic cables because they are lighter and thinner than those composed of copper wire.

Uses of Fiber Optic Technology in Automobiles

As time progresses, fiber optic technology will become more and more utilized by the automotive industry. Its unique characteristics allow it to be used for various communication, lighting, and sensing purposes.

Lighting Devices

Fiber optics are frequently employed for lighting because they transmit “cold” light, which is far safer than the traditional “sealed” beam or halogen light. The source of the light is easily accessible, and manufacturers have more of a creative license regarding design. Fiber also allows manufacturers to keep the light source and output location separate. This separation reduces the amount of physical space needed for installation.

Communication Devices

Using fiber optics to construct and design automotive communication structures is becoming more popular as the number of safety systems and devices on board vehicles increases. Airbags, traction control devices, and anti-theft systems are just a few of these devices integrated into automobile safety systems. Most are focused on pre-emergency and emergency response. This means that an automobile’s safety system must be able to receive and relay information quickly. Since this need to promptly receive and relay information is critical, fiber optics are often used to create vehicle safety systems instead of regular copper cables.

Internal and External Sensing

Sensors constructed from fiber optic cables also detect changes in external temperature, tire pressure, and leaks, among many other things. For example, thousands of sensitive pressure points along a cable quickly relay information to drivers and mechanics when operating and working on a vehicle. The device measuring the fiber optic cable is typically called an interrogator.

Learn More

As fiber optics become a bedrock of the automotive industry, the need for companies specializing in fiber optical engineering and construction will continue to rise. V1 Fiber is one such company, and we can provide you with a wide range of fiber optics–related services. Contact us today to learn more.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/fiber-optics-optical-fiber

https://www.livescience.com/what-are-photons

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30639/fiber-optic-sensor