Why intelligence is more about electric vehicles than ICE vehicles

The integration of automotive intelligence is primarily focused on new energy vehicles（EV). When analyzing the energy consumption of low-voltage electrical appliances, traditional vehicles rely on 12V batteries and generators (driven by the engine) to power these appliances. In contrast, new energy vehicles utilize 12V batteries and DCDC converters. The 12V battery powers the vehicle when it is stationary, while the generator/DCDC converter provides power when the vehicle is running. To ensure a balance between energy supply and demand, a new metric called "whole vehicle electric balance" is proposed. This metric represents a stable state of power generation and consumption between the generator/DCDC converter, battery, and vehicle electrical appliances over a specified time period.

1. Dynamic power balance:

Dynamic power balance refers to the ability of the automotive generator/DCDC converter to meet the power requirements of the vehicle's electrical appliances under various environmental conditions. Additionally, surplus power is used to charge the battery, ensuring overall power consumption balance. Typically, the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is monitored to evaluate compliance with design requirements. Test scenarios include normal daytime, normal nighttime, winter daytime, winter nighttime, winter snowy night, summer daytime, summer nighttime, and summer rainy nighttime. The highest power consumption occurs during rainy nights in summer and snowy nights in winter when most electrical appliances are utilized. Test conditions encompass idling, uniform speed, NEDC, Tokyo, continuous turning, and more. Non-smart cars mainly consume low-voltage electrical power through ECUs, wipers, air conditioners, seat heating, lights, etc., with high-end models consuming around 1000W at night. Smart cars, in addition to these components, incorporate smart driving and smart cockpit features. The power consumption of the smart cockpit, which includes larger screens, advanced host computer functions, and increased chip power consumption, can reach approximately 100-200W. Intelligent driving presents a greater power demand, with higher levels of autonomy requiring stronger computing power. For example, the XPIOT3.5 driver assistance system in the P5 model includes numerous sensors and a high-precision positioning unit, resulting in an estimated power consumption of around 100W.

However, the major power consumption lies in the autopilot controller. Automatic driving controllers have computing power ranging from dozens to hundreds of TOPS (tera operations per second), which requires substantial electrical support. Furthermore, as autonomous driving levels increase, the computing power demand intensifies. For instance, next year's models may reach 200TOPS, with an associated power consumption exceeding 200W. To accommodate this, redundancy measures and additional controllers are proposed, necessitating a continuous increase in generator or DCDC power. Traditional car generators already exceed 1kW, with some high-end models reaching 2kW. However, increasing generator power poses challenges due to the low efficiency of gasoline power generation and limitations related to engine speed. On the other hand, the DCDC power in new energy vehicles can easily reach 2kW, and even 3kW products are already available. Therefore, accommodating increased low-voltage electrical appliance power demands in smart cars can be effectively addressed using new energy vehicle DCDC systems.

2.Static electric balance:

Static electric balance refers to the vehicle's ability to start normally after a period of standing unused. The calculation formula for static electric balance considers the storage and transportation time (T) and factors such as battery capacity and self-wearing rate. It determines the static current of the whole vehicle required for a successful start after a defined period of storage. If the accumulated quiescent current of each consumer is too large, adjustments must be made, such as reducing the quiescent current of each consumer or increasing battery capacity. Traditional vehicles typically have low quiescent currents, with excellent models achieving within 10mA and poorer ones within 20mA. However, as vehicles become more intelligent, the dark current (quiescent current) increases significantly. For instance, vehicles using the Android system require higher quiescent currents to maintain memory information and enable functions like remote viewing and sentry mode. Based on extensive testing, a certain smart car in China was found to have a quiescent current close to 500mA.

According to the static electric balance calculation formula, if a car needs to start successfully after 30 days of standing still without reducing the dark current, it would require a battery capacity of up to 1587Ah. Currently, low-end cars typically have a battery capacity of around 40Ah, while high-end models reach approximately 100Ah. Moreover, additional battery power consumption is needed for various smart functions, such as remote viewing and intelligent diagnosis. New energy vehicles, with their power battery charging capabilities and DCDC systems, are better equipped to address these power demands. In contrast, traditional vehicles relying on engine start-up for battery recharge may not be suitable for indoor parking or closed garage environments due to exhaust concerns.

In summary, new energy vehicles are considered the ideal platform for embracing automotive intelligence due to their capacity to handle the increased power demands of low-voltage electrical appliances. They offer higher power outputs, efficient DCDC systems, and battery charging capabilities, making them better suited to power the advanced features and computing requirements of smart cars.