Electrostatic discharge testing verifies a product's tolerance of static discharge. Typical automotive sources include static built up by friction between a person and the vehicle body in dry winter conditions, static accumulated when entering or leaving a garage, and discharge when connectors are mated.
The two discharge modes
Contact discharge: the electrode is pressed directly onto the product surface, reproducing a finger touching a metal part. Contact resistance is extremely low, so at the same voltage the current pulse is larger and severity is higher. Automotive electronics commonly require ±8 kV contact discharge.
Air discharge: the electrode does not touch the product, reproducing a finger passing quickly over a charged insulating surface. Air breakdown needs a higher field strength, and the voltage level is limited by the gap distance. Common levels are ±8 kV, ±15 kV and ±30 kV.
Which applies where: contact discharge for metal enclosures, keys and connector shells; air discharge for plastic enclosures, seals and trim surfaces.
Setup essentials
The product sits on a 10 cm high non-conductive table, spaced away from the ground plane.
Application points must be positions a person could touch in normal use.
The discharge gun is held perpendicular to the application point, avoiding a spark gap that would scatter the results.
Multiple discharges are applied per polarity at least 1 s apart, so that intermittent failures are caught.
Common failure modes and corrective action
MCU crash or reset → add RC filtering at the reset pin, more decoupling on the supply, and stronger exception handling in software.
Communication loss → add a TVS array and common-mode chokes on the CAN/LIN bus, with interface ground and signal ground connected at a single point.
Display anomaly → add ground protection on the panel flex and filtering at the interface.
Flash/EEPROM data corruption → add CRC checks and retransmission to write operations.
Arcing on the enclosure → the enclosure ground path impedance is too high; add conductive gaskets and increase bonding area.
Frequently asked questions
Do contact and air discharge both have to be tested?
Yes, applied according to the product structure. Metal touchable areas take contact discharge; insulating surfaces take air discharge. Testing only one leaves the other uncovered, and OEM validation usually requires it to be added later.
Does ESD testing have a sample quantity requirement?
Yes. Electrostatic discharge is a destructive stress test that can cause irreversible damage, so several samples are usually needed per configuration. Confirm the required sample quantity at the requirement stage so that mid-project resubmission does not affect the schedule.
Service notes
Our laboratory holds both CMA and CNAS accreditation, covers about 10,000 m2 and runs more than 500 sets of equipment. All testing is carried out in our own laboratories — nothing is subcontracted. Plant visits and on-site witnessed testing are welcome.
Scheduling follows the actual project pipeline. You can state your preferred lead time when you submit samples; we will confirm a feasible plan against current capacity and keep you updated at each milestone. Once the report is issued we send the electronic copy; corrective-action advice can be arranged separately.
