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| 22 | MINI50 GEN II UNSEALED CONNECTION SYSTEM MINI50 CONNECTION SYSTEM MIZU-P25 MINIATURE WATERPROOF CONNECTORS Learn more > Learn more > Learn more > The types of terminals used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)—such as clean body or locking-lance—are often dictated by the region in which they are built. U.S. automakers worked with the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) to establish a 0.5mm terminal. In contrast, German automakers follow Zentralverband Elektrotechnik (ZVEI), which has a different 0.5mm interface with a side-latch design and uses a locking-lance terminal. There is no governing body in China for automotive standards, so automakers are free to choose either North American or European designs already tooled. South Korea is developing its standards, and Japan's major automakers are influenced by parent companies and joint ventures in both North American and European countries. The race to develop driverless vehicles will require additional sensors and more redundancy for safety applications. Consumers will expect a vehicle with 360-degree sight, capable of seeing, anticipating, and operating in any situation, regardless of the harshness of the environment. Customers will also expect a highly capable, customized experience, which will result in the vehicle running more applications and putting more sophisticated demands on vehicular networks. Connected vehicles need reliable internet connections, and components must communicate vast amounts of data with many different sources, both inside and outside the vehicle. These hefty connectivity requirements call for denser packaging in-vehicle electronics across a wide variety of ever-increasing applications. Designers must fit more circuits into smaller spaces while maintaining the same robust automotive requirements. These trends call for smaller connector systems that use smaller wire to fit the dense packaging needs. In response, designers have increasingly shifted over the past few years to using 0.5mm terminal systems, customized depending on who is using the terminals and in what capacity. Space-Saving Solutions Creating a line of connectors that meet USCAR and ZVEI requirements while solving some of the toughest challenges presented by connected vehicle specifications requires a team of experienced, dedicated designers. Molex has been working with both U.S. automakers and the German auto market to develop families of products with a 0.5mm interface, innovating the terminal and system design so they can be used with the locking-lance terminal or a clean-body terminal. Beyond engineering a line of connectors that meet regional requirements, other design challenges are emerging as manufacturers streamline connected vehicle connectivity. For example, a continued push for weight savings in the vehicle has affected the connector industry and calls for smaller wires and more compact wiring bundles. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and

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