Design of an automatic test adapter for digital communications testing in automotive applications. The growing complexity of electronic boards poses major challenges to the industry, which the test engineer faces. Relying on the correct behavior of an electronic board in critical fields, such as automotive, requires a continuous innovation process, through the development of new strategies, special devices and the refinement or adaptation of testing techniques ranging from the simplest to the most sophisticated ones. This thesis has been carried out through a collaboration between Politecnico di Torino and SPEA, global leader in Testing for electronic boards, semiconductors, batteries and MEMS.