Voith develops Inverter Platform for VEDS drive system
FIP has been specifically designed to meet the special requirements in the commercial vehicle segment and will be integrated into future generations of the VEDS
Heidenheim, Germany- Voith GmbH & Co. KGaA., announces another important development – the Future Inverter Platform (FIP) – for the VEDS drive system. The new inverter has been specifically designed to meet the requirements in the commercial vehicle segment and will be integrated into future generations of the VEDS.
Voith's innovative electric drive for commercial vehicles, introduced in 2021, has proven effective in buses. FIP tech to start series production in 2024 (without DMU) and 2025 (with integrated DMU). It combines the inverter and drive management unit (DMU), offering higher power density. In VEDS, FIP is part of the electrical drive system and a standalone system. Voith caters to OEM demand in the passenger car segment for more integrated drive systems.
Mr. Manuel Calero, Vice President E-Mobility at Voith said that, The extensive system knowledge that Voith has demonstrated over the years led to this integration. Users of the VEDS can be confident that we are providing a full system package in which all parts are perfectly matched to one another and efficiently cooperate.
The reduction of complexity benefits OEMs, because the more integrated the vehicle software controls, the simpler the vehicle design and manufacturing process. For this reason, Voith has designed the FIP to integrate with many different electric drive system components. Furthermore, despite the higher power density, the FIP is very compact and light, weighing in at just 25 kg compared to its 54 kg predecessor.
The FIP serves as both an inverter and control unit, making it susceptible to hacking. Voith prioritized global cybersecurity standards compliance from the start, establishing themselves as sector pioneers. Starting mid-2024, the automotive industry must adhere to UNR 155 and UNR 156 cybersecurity standards, as well as ISO 26262 and 21434 for functional safety and cybersecurity engineering. All new vehicle platforms must undergo validation before approval.
The latest automotive-grade microcontrollers were chosen by Voith's team to power the integrated circuits in its new inverter platform since similar standards have already been put in place for some time in the passenger car sector. By doing so, they guarantee that the required cybersecurity software can be quickly integrated into the FIP. In addition, the drives won't be able to make any changes that violate the functional safety rules thanks to the cybersecurity controls built into the FIP, which protect against both hostile party attacks and drive changes.
About Voith
The Voith Group is a technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive.
