Many automotive components for power generation such as motors and alternators have been widely using ferrite magnets. To ensure a high level of efficiency could be achieved in an alternator, the assembled magnets must be in good enough durability. Recently, some hairline cracks have been found on the magnet produced by manufacturers in Korea. Thus, there is an increasing concern that some of the magnets produced could cause further problems after being assembled in the alternator. Based on the standard alternator test (RS0008 : 2006), this paper has developed an accelerated failure-free test for magnets in alternator to demonstrate that assembled magnets will meet durability objective specified by the manufacturer. This guarantees the target life of the magnet with 90 percent reliability and 90 percent confidence level (R90C90). Temperature and rotation speed were selected as accelerated stress factors.

Functional safety is about electronics, electrical and programmable electronic safety-related system which focuses on the potential risk of malfunction in this case the probability and degree of damage to the system. IEC 61508 which was introduced in 2000 has played an important role in functional safety for complex application in electronics, electrical and programmable electronics in a system which failure could have an impact on the safety of humans and/or the environment. It has become a foundation for international standard safetyrelated system for airborne systems, railway, nuclear power plants, medical equipment, energy and process systems, machinery, furnaces and automotive. Nowadays, most of the automobiles are equipped with embedded electronics systems which includes lots of Electronic Controller Units (ECUs), electronic sensors, signals, bus systems and coding. Thus, ISO 26262 has been introduced in November, 2011 for automotive electric/electronic (E/E) systems which address the complete safety installation from sensor to actuator with its technical as well as management issues. In this paper, the international trends on pre and post introduction of ISO 26262 will be analyzed in which to see the direction of potential research in this area.

Since the basic built-in-test, prognostic health management (PHM) has evolved into more sophisticated and complex systems with advanced warning and failure detection devices. Aerospace and military systems, manufacturing equipment, structural monitor- ing, automotive electronic systems and telecommunication systems are examples of fields in which PHM has been fully utilized. Nowadays, the automotive electronic system has become more sophisticated and increasingly dependent on accurate sensors and reliable microprocessors to perform vehicle control functions which help to detect faults and to predict the remaining useful life of automotive parts. As the complication of automotive system increases, the need for intelligent PHM becomes more significant. Given enormous potential to be developed lays ahead, this paper presents findings and discussions on the trends of automotive PHM research with the expectation to offer opportunity for further improving the current technologies and methods to be applied into more advanced applications.

In recent years, Prognostic Health Management (PHM) has caught the attention of lots of researchers in a wide range of applications. Thus, many researchers from research institutes, universities and companies have published and patented their findings in various fields of PHM. PHM is a method or technique that can be used to detect performance degradation and forecast remaining life of a system based on the health monitoring information. A number of review papers discussing on PHM methods and techniques have been presented by other researchers but mostly in maintenance of manufacturing equipments, aerospace systems and structural monitoring. This paper focuses on the trend and direction of PHM especially in the automotive industry through published research papers and also patents. The purpose of this paper is to recognize the trend and to provide suggestions for potential future research in PHM for automotive. Accordingly, this paper should offer opportunity for the manufacturers or researchers to get information on current trends and also potential areas that can be further explored in PHM for automotive.

The paper presents the analysis of Accelerated Reliability Growth (ARG) process data during design and development on non repairable systems. A projection model has been developed which will compress testing time and also accelerate failure mechanisms in which all corrective actions are delayed until at the end of the test. In addition, time to failure in stress test do not have to be converted to time to failure in normal condition. By applying this model, it targets to save cost through speedier testing time and reducing number of prototypes needed. As a result, the total life cycle cost of product will be reduced.