ISO 19642-1:2023

Overview

ISO 19642-1:2023 - "Road vehicles - Automotive cables - Part 1: Vocabulary and design guidelines" is the foundational part of the ISO 19642 series. It standardizes terminology and provides practical design guidance for automotive cables used in road vehicle general-purpose applications. This edition updates the 2019 version, adds terms for screened RF cables, and introduces informative annexes on multi-core cable dimension calculation, colour concentration, and requalification guidance.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and purpose: Defines consistent vocabulary for cable engineering to support other parts of the ISO 19642 series and supplier–customer communication.
• Voltage categories: Clarifies cable classes such as 60 V, 900 V, and 1 500 V cables by their nominal system voltage limits (e.g., 60 V d.c., 900 V d.c., 1 500 V d.c.).
• Temperature class rating: Establishes eight temperature classes (A–H) with ranges from −40°C up to 85°C through 250°C, enabling selection of insulation and materials by operating temperature.
• Cable construction terms: Precise definitions for conductor types (bare, bunched, compressed, clad/plated), cores, insulation, bedding, inner covering, fillers, drain wire, sheath, coaxial and multi-core cables.
• Braid and screening: Includes braid parameter definitions (coverage, lay length, angle of lay) and guidelines for braided screens and drain wires.
• Dimensional and performance guidance: Annex A provides informal calculation methods for key parameters (resistance limits, cable dimensions) for multi-core cables.
• Colour identification: Table of recommended colours and codes (BK, BU, BN, GN, OG, RD, VT, WH, YE) plus Annex B on recommended colour concentrations to ensure consistent identification across suppliers.
• Requalification advice: Annex C offers expert opinion on re‑testing/requalification of existing cables that were approved under older standards (e.g., ISO 6722-1 / ISO 6722-2).
• Reference documents: Normative links to related parts such as ISO 19642-7 and ISO 19642-8 (dimensions/requirements for copper and aluminium conductor cables).

Practical applications and users

ISO 19642-1:2023 is intended for:

• Automotive OEMs and tier‑1 suppliers specifying cable systems for vehicles.
• Cable designers and electrical engineers selecting conductor types, insulation, and temperature classes.
• Component manufacturers, test laboratories, and procurement specialists ensuring consistent terminology and compliance.
• Standards developers integrating automotive cable vocabulary into product specifications and technical documentation.

Use this document when establishing product families, defining multi‑core cable dimensions, specifying braid/screen parameters, or updating supplier contracts to the ISO 19642 series.

Related standards

• ISO 19642 series (other parts covering detailed dimensions and requirements)
• ISO 19642-7 / ISO 19642-8 (dimensions & requirements for copper/aluminium conductor cables)
• ISO 6722-1 / ISO 6722-2 (legacy standards referenced in Annex C)

Keywords: ISO 19642-1:2023, automotive cables, road vehicles, vocabulary, design guidelines, multi-core cables, temperature class rating, braid parameters, colour code, cable requalification.