MEMS Sensors for non-Safety Automotive Applications

Abstract

With the launch of the AIS326DQ, its first AECQ100-qualified 3-axis accelerometer, STMicroelectronics is addressing non-safety applications like vehicle alarms, tracking and monitoring, black-box systems, and navigation assistance. Government regulations, insurance requirements, and a general increasing user demand for car security are the main driving factors of this high-CAGR market. Fully leveraging the economies of scale of a proven 200 mm wafer technology (STMicroelectronics was the first company in the world to start MEMS volume production on 8″ wafers), advanced features such as user selectable full scale ranges, 12-bit usable resolution, together with the mounting freedom provided by the 3-axis sensing, make AIS326DQ the recommended choice when customers look for the best trade-off between performances and price. STMicroelectronics will continually be enriching its offer by complementing the portfolio with more innovative solutions: the new generation of accelerometers is reported to show a state-of-the-art thermal stability below 0.2 mg/°C, while, after a successful launch in the consumer segment, ST gyroscopes will find their way into automotive applications.