MAESTrO-a software tool for the design and evaluation of advanced automotive electrical power systems

The electrical load and fuel efficiency requirements of the next generation of automobiles are challenging the capabilities of the 12-V point-to-point architecture. It is quite possible that the automotive industry will undergo a transition to a new standard in the near future. However, selecting the new standard requires a rigorous comparison of the available options. MAESTrO is a software tool designed specifically for this purpose. This paper describes the features of MAESTrO and the models it uses to calculate the cost, weight and efficiency of automotive electrical power systems. To demonstrate the utility of the tool, a family of remote-switching dual-voltage architectures is analyzed.