Active and passive cooling techniques of graphical processing units in automotive applications - a review

Graphical Processing Units (GPU) have become a vital source for data processing in many advanced or intelligent technologies. They have proven to be faster and more efficient than the Central Processing Unit (CPU) in computing large data sets. The automotive industry has adopted GPUs for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), but other systems like electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles will also employ GPUs soon. Although GPUs are faster at computing large data sets, a substantial increase in core temperature is challenging during the process. This review paper primarily focuses on active and passive cooling methods for GPUs in the automotive industry. The paper commences by addressing the role and need for GPUs in the automotive industry and explores the challenges they face and the factors that lead to an increase in temperature. The paper further reviews various cooling methods that original equipment manufacturers (OEM) use in the automotive industry. The outcomes of the review are a detailed understanding of the use of GPUs in automotive, a brief interpretation of heating issues in GPUs and what causes them, a comprehensive understanding of the cooling methods used to reduce the core temperature, and a perception of an anticipated technology to resolve the heating problem.