Feature: Automotive


of which economic operator is making the radio product available or placing it on the market, as this could be the type-approved vehicle manufacturer that integrated the radio module. Vehicles not for use on public highways


and not subject to type approval will still be subject to other applicable European legislation and directives, for example the RED and Machinery Directive. Tis effectively puts the entire vehicle under the scope of the RED when not under the scope of a type-approval regime. Tis vehicle, without type approval but with an installed radio product, can then be defined as ‘combined equipment’ and there is separate RED guidance for this – for example, ETSI Guide EG 203 367 V1.1.1. Vehicles that are not type approved for public highways require CE marking against the applicable directives. Importantly, the radio manufacturer needs to consider the intended use and environmental conditions of the radio product in the host vehicle for all applicable RED essential requirements, as well as RED Article 3.1(a), which covers health and safety and reasonably foreseeable conditions.


Products fitted after market Aſtermarket radio products that can be fitted by end users and/or dealerships have additional RED consideration for compliance, and the risk assessment must consider the intended use of the radio in the vehicle. It is important to note that the RED


guide states a radio equipment installer/ integrator is considered to be the manufacturer of the equipment if: • the compliance of the host is impacted because the instructions provided for the radio equipment were not followed; or


• the intended function or performance of the host product is modified.


Radio broadcast receivers Aſter the RED came into force in 2017, radio broadcast receivers were included within its scope for the first time – a significant change for the automotive industry. Additionally, vehicles that use automotive radar equipment for collision avoidance and proximity sensing, as well as


Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) tracking, also fall under the scope of the RED, as they are radio determination products. ETSI (www.etsi.org/) has produced


several new RED-harmonised standards for the purpose of testing such products. Consequently, manufacturers can find achieving compliance to be a significant challenge as they were not previously required to do RF testing. Te added complexity is that makers of radio equipment for use in vehicles need to consider the possible compatibility problems associated with multiple radio transmitters and receivers operating in such close proximity.


EMC misalignment RED and vehicle EMC requirements do not align, and this should be considered by both radio and vehicle manufacturers when developing their compliance strategy and risk assessment for a product. Differences include test frequency ranges and immunity levels. It should also be noted that RED EMC testing is focused on the radio EMC performance. In contrast, vehicle electromagnetic


requirements include EMC and electromagnetic safety (EMS) compliance. Tis must not be confused with RED Article 3.1a health and safety requirements, which remain mandatory for all radio equipment under the scope of the RED. Te significant risks addressed by products associated with vehicle safety, such as radar collision avoidance systems,


obviously need additional compliance considerations compared to, for example, an FM/DAB car radio receiver. Although the equipment manufacturer


may submit RED health and safety assessment, this may not consider all the intended operating modes and environmental conditions for its use in the vehicle. Tis is an important point for radio equipment integrators to consider so that overall vehicle safety is not impacted.


Risk assessment Te risk assessment for both manufacturers of radio equipment and its integrators into vehicles remains a critical part of the regulatory compliance process, which should begin at the start of the conformity assessment process. It is important to remember to


demonstrate compliance, with the aim to mitigate the risk as far as possible by, for example, compliance testing and user guidance. Since the intended use and environmental conditions of radio equipment in vehicles is more safety-critical/ onerous then a standalone radio product, this should be carefully considered in the risk assessment by the manufacturer. Te RED introduced a range of new


responsibilities for the entire automotive supply chain, including for product traceability, risk analysis and assessment, sample testing and, if required, a register of complaints and product recalls. Tese compliance considerations will only increase as vehicles achieve higher levels of autonomous capability.


www.electronicsworld.co.uk April 2022 25


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