Opel EMC Center ensures trouble-free performance from auto-electric systems
Advanced communication and infotainment systems raise test requirements
Rüsselsheim. The stylish Opel ADAM ROCKS is ready to roll. After recently making its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, Opel will begin taking orders for its new mini marvel in a few days’ time. And from September, the first three-door mini crossover that’s less than four meters long will be adding color to the streets of Europe. That’s because the ADAM ROCKS is not short on charm and sets many new standards. It debuts Opel’s all-new 1.0-liter ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo engine. This compact power pack – optionally available with 66 kW/90 hp or 85 kW/115 hp – sets new standards for three-cylinder engines in terms of noise and vibration suppression, as well as comfort. Then there is the nippy little lifestyle vehicle’s unmistakable design, with that unique Swing Top canvas roof – and, of course, its highly-praised, advanced IntelliLink infotainment system. The ADAM ROCKS therefore offers the full range of innovative entertainment and navigation electronics, together with comprehensive connectivity options.
Of course, all this technology has to function perfectly from day one for the whole of the vehicle’s life. For this reason, the ADAM ROCKS – like every other Opel model – must pass a thorough examination in Rüsselsheim's EMC Center.
‘EMC’ is short for electro-magnetic compatibility, and Opel engineers at the company’s EMC labs have been involved throughout the entire vehicle development program, right up to series production. At every step of the process, they ensure there is no mutual interference between different electronic systems. In the old days, for example, it was merely a question of suppressing typical crackling noises from the radio caused by the car’s generator, the ignition system, the wiper motor or similar components. Today, the task is much more complex. After all, the ADAM ROCKS – just like the rest of the ADAM family – offers a broad range of state-of-the-art electronic functions. These include safety features, such as ESP and the electronic brakeforce distribution, as well as the parking pilot, the sound system and, of course, all the infotainment electronics. With comprehensive connectivity options via IntelliLink and constant data downloading through the navigation system, particularly high demands are placed on the suppression of interference. The electronic systems are therefore hermetically sealed off from external influences – and ADAM ROCKS is proof that this can be done just as effectively with its unique, fabric Swing Top canvas roof as in a fixed-head sedan.
This is why the ADAM ROCKS had a final appointment at the EMC Center. What at first glance looks like a giant egg box turns out to be a miracle of radiation absorption. In the Center’s specially equipped rooms, which meet the quality standards for professional test labs applied by the German Accreditation Authority according to ISO 17025, the team of Opel engineers tests how the vehicle electronics react to possible electro-magnetic interference. This can be line-borne, via cable harnesses, or airborne, and the vehicle is exposed to all conceivable frequency ranges. The strange-looking absorbers on the walls are designed to "suck up" the emitted waves so they are not thrown back randomly into the room. In this way, engineers gather clean, useable measurement data. Only when all the vehicle’s systems are absolutely free of interference from external electro-magnetic radiation sources does an Opel model receive the green light of EMC Center approval. For the new ADAM ROCKS and its electronics systems, this means an examination passed with distinction. Nothing gets in the way of enjoying interference-free infotainment in Opel’s new, mini lifestyle crossover.
