NuAxiSemiconductor trade intelligence

Motion sensor combo ICs target vehicle dynamics

What happened

ST has launched an automotive sensor platform that combines multi-axis accelerometers and angular-rate sensors in a single package, designed to extend active and passive safety systems and driver-assistance features across vehicle categories from premium to mass-market, with applications including crash protection, rollover detection, airbag deployment, vehicle stability control, and radar beam stabilization. The sensors feature internal diagnostics and support SafeSPI, a serial peripheral interface for automotive safety, and are ST's first four offerings following its integration of NXP's sensors division: NCS1012BAEP (z-axis (yaw) angular-rate sensor and xy low-g accelerometer), NCS1012CAEP (x-axis (roll) angular-rate sensor and yz low-g accelerometer), NCS1012EAEP (x-axis (roll) angular-rate sensor and xy medium-g accelerometer), and NCS10135AEP (z-axis (yaw) angular-rate sensor and xyz low-g accelerometer). Angular-rate sensors offer full-scale ranges of ±125 dps, ±250 dps, or ±350 dps, with integrated low-pass filtering (12.5–400-Hz cutoff options) and operation from −40°C to +105°C; low-g accelerometers cover ±1.50 g to ±34 g, while medium-g versions cover ±15.5 g to ±150 g and feature an independent signal chain to minimize noise. The combo sensors are now in production in 24-pin QFN packages with wettable flanks.