Automotive Electrical Safety Testing Services

Automotive electrical safety testing

Complex electronics and electrical systems are necessary to support innovation in the automotive industry. Leveraging our extensive experience with technology and electronics, our services help manufacturers of electronic components, batteries and battery chargers meet applicable testing requirements. Our expertise across numerous industries and a range of technologies pairs with our deep understanding of the automotive regulatory landscape to make us valuable partners as you navigate and innovate the automotive market.

Understanding how and why various aspects of electrical testing are important is key to ensuring a successful automotive electrical test program and critical to preventing false negative results. For example, in a car crash, electrical life and safety systems must continue to operate in the milliseconds necessary to brake, deploy airbags and engage other safety protocols.

Electronics can work for years under the right conditions and burn up in a microsecond under the wrong conditions. Ensuring voltages, signals, pulses, and switching conditions are allied accurately is critical. When an alternator goes bad, it is important that it doesn’t destroy all of the electrical components in the vehicle.

Automotive testing leadership

UL Solutions works with a consortium of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers to identify new and emerging risks to the increasing demands put on the electrical systems found in today’s automotive products. In our global network of laboratories, we have the capabilities to perform virtually any test an automotive manufacturer or supplier may need. We understand how vital electrical systems are and how much our daily lives depend on more and more sensitive electronics. From radios to battery systems, from electrical braking modules to inverters and airbag sensors, we have the expertise to offer you the necessary testing services you need.

Electrical and benchtop testing

Insulation resistance
Dielectric withstand/breakdown (Hipot)
Voltage/current/resistance
Custom data acquisition/LabVIEW data acquisition

ISO 16750-2/GMW3172 (Leg 6)

State change waveform characterization
Ground path inductance sensitivity
Power supply interruptions
Battery voltage dropout
Sinusoidal superimposed voltage
Pulse superimposed voltage
Intermittent short circuit
Continuous short circuit
Discrete digital input threshold voltage
Crank pulse capability and durability

Jumpstart
Reverse polarity
Over voltage
Overload
Open circuit
Ground offset
Power offset
Parasitic current
Custom waveforms

Electromagnetic compatibility in automotive products

For today’s tech-savvy car buyers, in-vehicle electronics are no longer luxury items. Buyers’ expectations require connectivity as a standard option, and one’s personal mobile device should work seamlessly and securely with the vehicle’s infotainment system. We offer a full range of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and wireless automotive testing services to increase consumer confidence in the safety, security and performance of your products. We offer interoperability testing services for:

Wi-Fi
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
Wireless charging

Vehicle electronic subassemblies and components pose unique testing challenges to recreate the in-vehicle device operation and monitor performance in a laboratory setting. Our expert engineers assist automotive manufacturers and suppliers with EMC validation testing of varied component types, such as switches, motors, electronic control units (ECUs), lighting assemblies, electric vehicle (EV) battery control modules and even complex infotainment modules to meet OEM testing requirements.

We test to global OEM standards, including those from major automotive manufacturers. To help you gain access to the European market, we are also authorized to test automotive electronic/electric subassemblies (ESAs) for compliance with the Vehicle Type Directive and the E Mark certification of components.

Our laboratory capacities allow us to meet your most demanding deadlines. We’ll work with you to address unexpected delays due to sample availability or schedule changes. We can advise you on whether a product is an immunity-related device (integral to the working of the vehicle), which may need additional testing in order to gain market approval. We will also update you on testing results as we move through the process and can provide draft test reports for critical client meetings.

In the end, you’ll be armed with an in-depth and accredited assessment of your EMC and wireless vehicle components, giving you the information you need to feel confident in your product’s capabilities and performance.

Why UL Solutions

Along with helping you address the complex needs associated with existing automotive electrical testing, we can also give you confidence in navigating new and growing requirements. By offering an extensive array of services, we can support your innovations wherever you are in the product life cycle while supporting your efforts to build and maintain brand loyalty and trust with your customers.

Our network of laboratories around the world — staffed with leading automotive testing engineers who have a deep and broad knowledge of local and global regulations and specifications — have the capabilities you need to test and certify virtually every aspect of your automotive product in one place. We are a global safety science leader, and when you partner with us, we can help you: