Smart Driving Test — Automotive Power Management Controller

UAE government project — centralized automotive power sequencing and protection board for smart driving test vehicles, managing startup, shutdown, fault isolation, and surge protection across all onboard subsystems

Project Overview

Designed a centralized automotive power control and sequencing board for a UAE government smart driving test vehicle. The board manages power delivery to all onboard subsystems — the test computer, router, sensors, and peripherals — with controlled startup/shutdown sequencing, fault isolation, and full automotive-grade protection.

Altium Designer 3D render of the PDU V1.0 (TATWEER Innovation Lab) — showing all relay channels, blade fuse banks, MCU section, power stage, digital outputs (DQ32–DQ49), analog inputs (A1–A8), ignition input, and battery connectors.
High-resolution photo of the board fully powered — Yongchuan 40A relay engaged, green status LEDs active, and colored blade fuse banks wired up (left); full board overview (center); board mounted in its installation enclosure (right).

Key Features

  • Intelligent Power Sequencing: Controlled startup and shutdown of each subsystem with programmable delays to prevent brownout and boot instability
  • Multi-Channel Fused Outputs: Individual blade fuse per channel for fault isolation and easy field maintenance
  • Relay-Based Switching: Automotive relays route high-current loads; sequenced by MCU to prevent inrush spikes
  • Automotive Protection: TVS diodes, surge suppression, and reverse polarity protection handle load dump (40–60V transients) and cold crank dips
  • On-Board DC-DC Conversion: Buck converter provides regulated 5V/3.3V rails for MCU, logic, and communication circuits
  • Intelligent MCU Core: Central microcontroller manages sequencing logic, ignition detection, fault monitoring, and watchdog supervision

Power Sequencing Logic

Startup: Ignition ON → Validate battery voltage → Enable DC-DC logic rail → Relay 1 (Router) ON with delay → Relay 2 (Main computer) ON → Relay 3 (Sensors) ON → Signal “System Ready”

Shutdown: Ignition OFF → Send shutdown signal to computer → Wait configurable timeout → Cut high-power domains → Enter standby

This prevents file system corruption, ECU misbehavior, and data loss on power-off.

Hardware Architecture

Stage Implementation
Input 12V automotive battery, fuse + TVS + reverse polarity protection
Switching Automotive relays (12V coil), MCU-controlled per domain
Fused outputs Individual blade fuse channels, dedicated output terminals
DC-DC Buck converter — 5V & 3.3V rails for logic
MCU QFP microcontroller — sequencing, fault detection, watchdog
Interface Terminal blocks, diagnostic/programming header

Technologies & Tools

  • Altium Designer — multi-layer PCB design
  • Embedded C — power sequencing firmware, fault detection logic
  • Automotive EMC & protection design (load dump, cold crank, ESD)
  • High-current trace sizing and thermal copper pour design

Key Achievements

✅ Delivered a UAE government-grade automotive power controller
✅ Implemented intelligent multi-channel power sequencing with relay control
✅ Designed comprehensive automotive protection (TVS, fuses, reverse polarity)
✅ Integrated MCU-based fault detection and watchdog supervision
✅ Enabled safe, stable boot and shutdown of all vehicle subsystems