Geneva, Switzerland: STMicroelectronics has developed a motion sensor that can provide precise measurements of vehicle movement for systems such as adaptive front lights, auto-levelling HID (high-intensity discharge) lamps, inertial brake lights, e-parking brake, advanced antitheft systems, and control of vehicle dynamics.
The AIS226DS is a two-axis inplane accelerometer and senses acceleration up to ±6g, where one ‘g’ is the acceleration due to gravity. As an example, 3g is the approximate acceleration experienced in a manned rocket during launch into space. The sensor can also resolve angles of incline less than 0.02°. The ability to accurately measure incline is important in auto-levelling lamp, e-parking brake, and HSA (Hill Start Aid) applications.
Motion is sensed using a tiny on-chip microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) motion detector. An interface chip, available with a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or I2C output, is also integrated, enabling direct connection to the vehicle’s electronic control unit.