What are the USCAR standards for wiring harnesses?

2023-08-31

What is USCAR?


The United States Council for Automotive Research

American Automobile Research Council


The automotive wiring harness is an indispensable part of modern cars, carrying the functions of electrical signal and power transmission. The USCAR (United States Council for Automotive Research) is an organization that develops and promotes automotive industry standards. This article will explore the importance of the automotive wiring harness standard USCAR and its application areas in the automotive industry.



1. Introduction to USCAR


USCAR is a standard jointly drafted by Stellantis, Ford, and GM. Its mission is to promote technical cooperation and standardization in the automotive industry to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the entire industry. USCAR plays an important role in formulating standards, one of which is the automotive wiring harness standard.

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2. USCAR automotive wiring harness standards


USCAR has many standards for automotive wiring harnesses. This article briefly popularizes the USCAR standards for wiring harnesses.


1. USCAR 1


SALT SPRAY TESTING AND EVALUATION OF FASTENER FINISHES


Salt spray test and evaluation of fasteners


2. USCAR 2


Performance Specification for Automotive Electrical Connector Systems


Performance Specifications for Automotive Electrical Connector Systems


3. USCAR 12


Electrical Connector Design Criteria


Electrical connector design standards


4. USCAR 17


PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION FOR AUTOMOTIVE RF CONNECTOR SYSTEMS


Performance Specifications for Automotive Radio Frequency (RF) Connector Systems


5. USCAR 18


(R) FAKRA SMB RF CONNECTOR SUPPLEMENT


(R) FAKRA SMB RF Connector Supplement


6. USCAR 19


Coaxial Cable Connector Interface – Square Outer Conductor


Coaxial cable connector interface-square outer conductor


7. USCAR 20


FIELD CORRELATED LIFE TEST SUPPLEMENT TO SAE/USCAR-2


Proving ground related life test (supplement to SAE/USCAR-2)


8. USCAR 23


Road Vehicles-60V And 600V Single Core(ISO/METRIC) Cables-Dimension, Test Methods And Requirements


Road vehicles - 60 V and 600 V single core cables (ISO/METRIC) - Dimensions, test methods and requirements.


9. USCAR 21


PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION FOR CABLE-TO-TERMINAL ELECTRICAL CRIMPS


Performance specification for crimping of wires and terminals


10. USCAR 25


Electrical Connector Assembly Ergonomic Design Criteria


Ergonomic design standards for electrical connector assembly


11. USCAR 26


Test Procedure for Electrical Ground Attachments


Test Procedure for Electrical Grounding Accessories


12. USCAR 29


Automotive Grade Coaxial Cable Performance Specification


Performance Specifications for Automotive-Grade Coaxial Cables


13. USCAR 30


PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION FOR AUTOMOTIVE UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB) CONNECTION SYSTEM


Performance specifications for automotive universal serial bus (USB) connectivity systems


14. USCAR 37


High Voltage Connector Performance Supplement to SAE/USCAR-2


High Voltage Connector Performance (Supplement to SAE/USCAR-2)


15. USCAR 38


Performance Specification for Ultrasonically Welded Wire Terminations


Performance specification for ultrasonic welding of wires to terminals


16. USCAR 44


Performance Specification for Automotive Wire Harness Retainer Clips


Performance specification of automotive wiring harness positioning clamps


17. USCAR 45


PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION FOR WELDED WIRE-TO-WIRE SPLICES


Performance specification for wire-to-wire ultrasonic welding


3. Importance of automotive wiring harness standards


The automotive wiring harness is a core component of the automotive electrical system, which connects various electronic devices and sensors to ensure that they can work properly. The formulation of automotive wiring harness standards is of the following importance to the entire industry:


Ensure safety: Automotive wiring harness standards ensure the safety performance of wiring harnesses, including fire prevention, high temperature resistance, wear resistance, etc., to reduce potential electrical failures and accident risks.

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Improve quality and reliability: Standardized wiring harness design and manufacturing processes can improve wiring harness quality and reliability, reducing failure rates and after-sales problems.


Reduce costs: Unified standards can reduce the time and cost required to produce harnesses and simplify supply chain management, making the entire industry more efficient.


4. Application areas of automotive wiring harness standards


The application of automotive wiring harness standards covers the entire automotive industry, mainly including the following aspects:


Automobile manufacturers: Automobile manufacturers design and manufacture wiring harnesses according to the standards set by USCAR to ensure that their products meet industry requirements and improve product competitiveness.


Component suppliers: The application of wiring harness standards requires component suppliers to provide wiring harness products that meet the standards to meet the needs of automobile manufacturers.


R&D institutions and standardization organizations: USCAR cooperates with R&D institutions and standardization organizations to jointly develop and update automotive wiring harness standards and promote technological progress in the industry.


in conclusion


The automotive wiring harness standard USCAR plays an important role in the automotive industry. It ensures the safety, quality and reliability of wiring harnesses and promotes the entire industry to develop in a more efficient direction. For automakers, parts suppliers, R&D institutions and standardization organizations, following the USCAR standard is the key to maintaining competitiveness and meeting market demand.


It is of great significance for both professionals and consumers to understand the importance and application areas of automotive wiring harness standards. Only through cooperation and innovation can we continuously improve industry standards and promote the development and progress of the entire automotive industry.