Automotive 12V LED Driver Design

I need a compact, reliable 12 V DC supply that can deliver a steady 1 A specifically for an automotive LED lighting module. The circuit must tolerate the usual cranking dips, load-dump spikes, and temperature swings encountered in a 12 V vehicle electrical system while still providing clean, ripple-free power to the LEDs.

Your task is to take the concept from requirements through to a ready-to-manufacture design: select an appropriate topology (buck, synchronous buck or equivalent SMPS), size the magnetics, define protection components for transient suppression, and lay out a thermally efficient, low-EMI PCB. I’ll also need a succinct test procedure so I can validate performance—efficiency, line/load regulation, and automotive surge compliance—on my bench.

Acceptance criteria
• Schematic with complete Bill of Materials (vendor part numbers, footprints, and cost tier in USD)
• PCB layout files (KiCad or Altium) plus Gerbers and assembly drawings
• Simulated or bench-measured plots showing regulation at 9 – 16 V input, load dump to 40 V, and start-up inrush limits
• Brief test plan summarising equipment, pass/fail limits, and safety notes

If you have previous experience designing DC-DC converters for vehicles and can demonstrate low-EMI layouts, I’d like to see a sample or reference when you bid so we can move ahead quickly.