Test Sequence-Optimized BIST for Automotive Applications

As the use of electronic components grows rapidly in the automotive industry, the number of complex safety-critical devices used in advanced driver assistance systems or autonomous cars is rising with high-end models containing more than 200 embedded microcontrollers. Achieving functionally safe automotive electronics requires test solutions that address challenges posed by high quality and long-term reliability requirements mandated, for example, by the ISO 26262 standard. The paper presents test pattern generation schemes for a scan-based logic BIST optimizing test coverage and test time during in-system test applications for automotive ICs. As a part of overall safety, they help in ensuring reliable operations of vehicle's electronics throughout their lifecycles. The proposed schemes can be deployed in different modes of in-system testing, including key-off, key-on, and periodic (incremental) online tests. Experimental results obtained for automotive designs and reported herein show improvements in test quality over conventional logic BIST schemes.