ISO 10605: 2023 Automotive ESD - The Skinny on Edition 3

Dialing it in! 15 years is a long time. "Well no" said the Sun, the Earth and Bill Nye. But the automotive industry has changed quite a bit since the last release of the electrostatic immunity requirements on cars in 2008. My 2007 Ford Fusion is great for me, Point A, B, Back. Now that I'm a single dad, got me an upgrade to impress the (online) ladies - the 2023 Audi A5 is a trip. I call her Rebecca, and thank her for reminding me I left my phone in the car as I get out.

The ISO 10605 standard is moving towards the global IEC 61000-4-2 ESD immunity standard for most electronics. Specifically when it comes to the component level testing (power on). Indirect discharge tests now require 10, instead of 50 strikes, at 1 second, instead 50 ms, intervals. Unfortunately your test time has doubled and you are most likely still paying the newbie to sit around and discharge all day.

See ISO 10605 Testing Overview and Immunity Levels

Good news, Appendix G provides guidance on setting up automated ESD testing. Probably not going to be slurped up by Detroit or our new neighborinos (Bosch), but Elon might! Overseas assembly plants are likely going to want to have a look. We can help, but right now, we have only programmed the robotic arm to zap the RF techs.

The standard has expanded, more information overall, to help those newbies get up and running, and alternative test techniques. Which should be demonstrating to the user the test procedure isn't law, but a guide and a permission slip to think outside the box, and test your DUT the best appropriate way.