Infineon has launched the SPOC Wire Guard BTS80009, an automotive eFuse that replaces the melting fuse with a software-configurable high-side switch. The 12V device is aimed at the new electrical architectures underpinning software-defined vehicle designs, and is already in production.

The wiring saving is the commercial argument. Precise current sensing and isolation in microseconds mean cable diameters no longer have to be oversized against the slow response of a melting fuse, which takes weight and copper out of the harness.

Software configuration is the architectural argument. Protection parameters can be set per vehicle variant rather than by fitting different physical components, so one hardware platform can serve several models and be adjusted after the vehicle has left the factory.

The device is offered as a safety element out of context for systems up to ASIL-D under ISO 26262, with configurable safe states held in non-volatile memory. Infineon points to fail-operational requirements from level 2++ through to level 5 automation as a driver of demand.

Four variants cover currents to 34.5A, with a 24-bit SPI interface that can be daisy-chained to limit the number of microcontroller ports required. Three further variants are planned by the end of 2026.

Source: Infineon