Potential Nanotechnology Applications on Automotive Electrical / Electronic Architecture

The Nanotechnology has become one of the most promising fields of research for the past few decades. The ability to control matter and systems on nanoscale (having at least one dimension smaller than 100nm) was enabled by the invention of advanced technologies like the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) that allowed the atomic size resolution possible. The link between the micro and atomic-scales creates the capability to produce nanoelectrical-mechanical systems (NEMS) that presents unique properties never seen on the macro world before. The automotive industry is already investigating these new properties and their benefits, and future automotive applications are already being projected. The present automotive electrical / electronic architecture (EEA) comprises many technological fields, including (but not limited to) electron current flow and modulation, semiconductor devices, electromagnetic compatibility, sensors, actuators, illumination systems, data communication network and polymeric high temperature materials. The study presented herein describes potential nanotechnology applications that might be applied to upcoming EEA.