In this EDN article, David Tester, Chief Engineer at EnSilica, explains why evolving electric traction systems — from e-bikes and industrial automation to robotics and EV drivetrains — increasingly demand custom hardware to achieve both functional safety and cybersecurity at the silicon level. As motor-control subsystems become more connected and sophisticated, traditional microcontroller-based approaches struggle to meet the tight real-time performance and security requirements associated with advanced algorithms such as field-oriented control (FOC) or reinforcement-learning-enhanced motion control.
Tester argues that integrating critical real-time functions (e.g., PWM timing, dead-time insertion, safety interlocks) into ASIC hardware not only delivers deterministic responsiveness and easier safety certification (e.g., for ISO 26262), but also protects core traction-control IP and reduces reliance on software that can be compromised through cyber attack. Custom silicon, he explains, enables robust partitioning between motion control, security enforcement and application-layer software — a key advantage as electrified systems become safer, more efficient and more connected.
Read the full article on EDN: https://www.edn.com/custom-hardware-helps-deliver-safety-and-security-for-electric-traction/
