ISO 16750-2:2023

Overview

ISO 16750-2:2023 - Road vehicles: Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment - Part 2: Electrical loads - defines electrical load tests and requirements for automotive electrical/electronic systems and components. The fifth edition updates and expands test methods (e.g., transient overvoltage, load dump verification, extended superimposed alternating voltage range) while clarifying test conditions and operating-mode usage. This standard applies to road vehicles (excluding motorcycles and mopeds) and is intended for OEMs, suppliers, test labs and design engineers involved in automotive electronics validation.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Covers electrical loads independent of mounting location; excludes EMC testing.
  • Systems already in production or under development prior to publication may be exempt from edition changes.
• Test categories included
  • Direct current (DC) supply voltage (minimum/maximum supply verification)
  • Overvoltage (long-term and transient)
  • Superimposed alternating voltage (extended to higher frequencies)
  • Slow decrease/increase of supply voltage, micro interruptions and drops
  • Reset behaviour at voltage drop, starting profiles and load dump
  • Reversed voltage, ground reference and supply offset
  • Open circuit (single/multiple line interruption)
  • Short circuit / overload protection and overloading tests
  • Withstand voltage and insulation resistance
• General test rules
  • Measurements are taken at the device-under-test (DUT) terminals.
  • Minimum sample size: two DUTs for validation (larger samples by agreement).
  • Tolerances (unless specified otherwise): frequency/time ±5%, voltages ±0.2 V, currents ±2%, inductance ±10%, resistance ±10%.
  • Special provisions for devices on secondary feed (e.g., 5 V sensors supplied from a 12 V DUT) - tests adjusted based on actual vehicle installation.
• New / revised features in 2023 edition
  • Use of operating modes for electrical tests, transient overvoltage introduction, updated superimposed alternating voltage test (up to 200 kHz), micro interruption tests, and more detailed reverse-voltage and ground-offset specifications.

Practical applications - who uses it and why

• Automotive OEMs and Tier-1/2 suppliers use ISO 16750-2 to define electrical robustness requirements during design, validation and supplier contracts.
• Test laboratories implement the specified test methods (DC supply profiles, load dump, interruptions, over/under voltage) to certify component resilience.
• Design and quality engineers rely on the standard to design protective circuits (e.g., short-circuit protection, reverse-polarity protection) and to ensure components tolerate real vehicle electrical stresses.
• Procurement and compliance teams reference the standard when specifying contractual test criteria and ensuring components meet industry-accepted environmental load requirements.

Related standards

• ISO 16750-1: General requirements and terminology (referenced for operating modes and definitions)
• ISO 16750-4: Climatic loads
• ISO 8820 (all parts): Fuse-links

Keywords: ISO 16750-2:2023, electrical loads, automotive environmental testing, load dump, overvoltage, DC supply voltage, road vehicle electronics, automotive standards.