I posted this elsewhere but it worth repeating. "Infant mortality" is where you see the electronics failing shortly after coming into service (i.e., a new car). Fortunately, most solid state devices, once burned in and performing well, will continue to serve you well a long time after that. Hence warranties, to get you through the IM. However, where we NEED to be more concerned is failures well after the warranty has expired. We will begin to see more of this unfortunately as the global economy has been moving to lead-free electronic parts. Lead-free (RoHS) compliance of these small parts means that they are generally made out of tin, instead of lead. Over time (months for tightly packed printed wiring boards) or years (for looser assemblies) these assemblies will develop 'tin-whiskers' which are tiny microscopic growths of native tin away from the components themselves into arbitrary directions and can lead to shorts. In space and defense department applications we have been able to avoid going to RoHS compliance (as some have deemed space and defense more important) by maintaining a minimum of 14% lead in such components. Unfortunately, the automotive world will get the tin parts and will begin to see serious failures of components over time. Conformal coating these PWBs will not avert the problem. If you want to learn more about this growing problem,--do a search on tin whiskers online. This is going to be a serious issue.

Dan