Nexperia has launched what it claims to be the industry’s first portfolio of ESD protection diodes engineered specifically for 48 V automotive data communication networks. The AEC-Q101 qualified devices are designed to reduce space and cost while preserving signal integrity at higher data rates, a crucial requirement for modern EV and hybrid EV platforms.
For eeNews Europe readers involved in automotive electronics, powertrain systems, or embedded communications, this development directly addresses a long-standing gap in ESD protection for high-voltage board nets and legacy network protocols increasingly used in EV designs.
Addressing the 48 V Shift in Automotive Networks
As electric and hybrid vehicles migrate from traditional 12 V or 24 V architectures to 48 V systems to improve efficiency, protecting their communication lines — such as CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, and FlexRay — has become more challenging. These legacy protocols, while mature and widely used, are now deployed in environments with significantly higher voltage levels.
“Until now, automotive equipment manufacturers lacked suitable ESD protection solutions specifically designed for 48 V data lines,” said Alexander Benedix, Head of Product Group Protection and Filtering at Nexperia. “As a result, they often had to rely on workarounds — either including an additional 12 V power rail or connecting several lower-voltage (36 V) protection diodes in parallel — to ensure their systems were adequately protected. With this new portfolio, designers working with 48 V board nets can now save space and cost while delivering best-in-class ESD protection for their automotive networks.”
Design Flexibility with Ultra-Low Capacitance
Nexperia’s new diode series includes six devices across three voltage ranges: 54 V (PESD2CANFD54VT-Q and PESD2CANFD54LT-Q), 60 V (PESD2CANFD60VT-Q and PESD2CANFD60LT-Q), and 72 V (PESD2CANFD72VT-Q and PESD2CANFD72LT-Q). All diodes offer ultra-low capacitance down to 3.4 pF, making them suitable for high-speed protocols such as CAN-FD without compromising signal fidelity.
Housed in the widely adopted SOT23 package, these devices are optimized to meet the stringent footprint and reliability demands of modern automotive platforms. The diodes’ ability to operate at higher VRWM levels allows system designers to eliminate bulky and inefficient workaround solutions.
For full specifications and application details, visit: nexperia.com/can-fd
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