- THE MAGAZINE What many people do not know is that ceramics,
and specifically ceramic passive components, are used with great
success in automotive electronics. They do not realize that
ceramics, some smaller than the tip of a pencil, can be used in
automotive electronic applications. Even within the automotive
electronics world, ceramic passive components are not always
top-of-mind. Although 60% of automotive passive timing devices
are made from ceramics, engineering textbooks barely mention
their role in vehicles. However, things are beginning to change.
Ceramic components have become exponentially more sophisticated
while their size continues to decrease. Further, automotive-
grade ceramic passives can now be developed in large quantities,
reducing their cost while offering similar-and in some cases
improved-characteristics when compared to alternative materials.
In addition, as automotive safety, communication and
entertainment applications become more complex, the ideal
properties of ceramic components h