Innovation Under the Hood - Part 2
Peter Vaughan, Director of BizDev for Automotive at Power Integrations, discusses the evolution of electric vehicle power electronics, focusing on the transition from 12V lead-acid batteries to high-efficiency power supplies. He explains how Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology enables compact, heat-sink-free converters that improve reliability and efficiency, citing examples like the InnoSwitch3-AQ and Team Alpha Centauri's solar car. The conversation also covers functional safety requirements, the elimination of the 12V battery to prevent 'dead battery' issues, and the potential shift to higher voltage architectures (36V or 48V) to reduce copper weight.