May 6, 2013 Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA) has introduced two power MOSFETs well-suited for battery management and protection applications, the AP9922GEO-HF-3 and AP9923GEO-HF-3, dual n- and dual p-channel enhancement-mode MOSFETs. Read more

April 27, 2013 The emerging market for Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) power semiconductors is forecast to grow by a factor of 18 during the next 10 years, energized by demand from power supplies, photovoltaic (PV) inverters and industrial motor drives.
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April 23, 2013 The automotive industry in China is increasingly on the fast lane, as can currently be seen at Auto Shanghai exposition. Chinese OEMs implement the latest technologies, although frequently through collaborations with Western suppliers. An example is the production launch of electrically powered steering (EPS) column drive technology where TRW Automotive Holding collaborates with a major Chinese vehicle manufacturer (VM), due to launch with three further China domestic platforms in 2013. Read more

April 22, 2013 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has developed a series of large-capacity intelligent power modules (IPMs) mainly for application in electric and hybrid vehicles. Power modules for automobiles offer higher reliability than industrial-use modules due to extremely high standards for vehicle safety. Read more

April 11, 2013 Toshiba Electronics has announced that it has started volume production of silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, in anticipation of growing demand for industrial and automotive applications. Production is at Toshiba’s Himeji, Japan facility. Read more

March 20, 2013 Texas Instruments Incorporated has introduced the industry’s first fully programmable DC arc detect reference solution at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) in Long Beach, California, USA. Read more

March 20, 2013 Ioxus has unveiled three new ultracapacitor modules that all claim to deliver higher power and energy densities than competitive products. The iMOD 16V/500F module provides power density up to 95 percent greater than modules currently on the market.
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March 19, 2013 Semtech Corporation has launched two new devices in its automotive-qualified products platform. The SC5012Q is a 4-channel, high-brightness LED driver for infotainment and navigation display backlighting, and the SC220Q is a 20 MHz buck regulator with X-EMI Inductor Technology. Read more

March 18, 2013 The new www.EDN-Europe.com web site launched today is the first "responsive" site of the industry. This new technology allows the website to be viewed on any platform as the dynamic layout adjusts to the screen it is viewed going down to a one column display on smartphones. Read more

March 11, 2013 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced what the company claims are the industry’s first double transistors with low saturation voltage in a 2-mm x 2-mm DFN (discrete flat no-leads) package.
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March 6, 2013 A full-hybrid powertrain concept jointly developed by automotive supplier Bosch and carmaker PSA Citroen excels through particular high fuel efficiency. It also helps to significantly reduce the CO2 emission and, it offers a "boost" effect which otherwise is only achievable with rather strong electric drives. Read more

March 6, 2013 Texas Instruments Incorporated has introduced three new 48-V synchronous buck regulators with integrated high-side and low-side MOSFETs for single- and multi-output power supplies. Read more

March 5, 2013 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced 54 new automotive-qualified MOSFETs in an LFPAK56 package which the company claims is the largest portfolio of Power-SO8 MOSFETs available on the market today. Read more

February 21, 2013 International Rectifier has introduced the automotive-qualified AUIR3200S MOSFET driver IC with comprehensive protection and diagnostic features offering enhanced reliability for relay replacements and battery switch applications. Read more

January 18, 2013 EMI/EMC characterization is essential for many electronics products. The high-speed signals may induce not only signal integrity and power integrity issues, but also cause radiation and electromagnetic interference problem. Read more

January 9, 2013 KOA has launched the new wire-wound, unshielded power inductor of the LPC4545 series. The small-sized 4 mm inductor (4.1x4.6 mm) allows a higher rated DC current and has a lower DC resistance than 6 mm inductors. Read more

November 1, 2012 Start-stop systems for hybrid and micro hybrid cars are among the most efficient approaches to reduce a vehicle's fuel consumption. This holds true in particular for commercial vehicles used in intra-urban goods transport. The downside of such systems is that they expose the vehicle's power supply to significant stress - after all, the cranking motor draws up to 600A when starting up the engine. Continental has developed a start-stop system that complements the battery by a dual-layer capacitor. Read more

October 22, 2012 Ohmite's new IS Series of heatsinkable, thick film, planar power resistors meet the requirements of designers seeking a compact, low profile solution to demanding applications such as dynamic motor braking. Read more

October 16, 2012 Three new automotive power management ICs from Allegro MicroSystems Europe use an internal 2.2 MHz constant on-time buck pre-regulator to supply regulated outputs commonly used in automotive CAN Bus and microprocessor-controlled applications. Read more

October 16, 2012 International Rectifier has introduced the reliable AUIR3320S high-side intelligent power switch (IPS) optimized for automotive auxiliary positive temperature coefficient (PTC) electric heaters.
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October 10, 2012 The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has announced it approved a series of guidelines for Qi wireless chargers intended for automotive aftermarket use. Products meeting the guidelines will be able to include the description, "Meets Qi Automotive Aftermarket Guidelines" along with the Qi logo. Read more

September 24, 2012 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced the LFPAK56D portfolio which is a range of dual Power-SO8 MOSFETs specifically designed for automotive applications such as fuel injection, ABS and stability control.
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September 24, 2012 CISSOID has appointed Advanced Power Components (APC), the UK-based distributor of specialized electronic components for the distribution of CISSOID products in United Kingdom and Ireland.
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September 19, 2012 Texas Instruments Incorporated has released SafeTI design packages to help customers get to market quickly with their safety-critical applications. Read more

September 13, 2012 TDI has introduced 2.7 kW liquid cooled converter which is an environmentally sealed power module designed for use in electric or hybrid vehicles.
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August 30, 2012 Passive components manufacturer Premo presents a new version of its HPC series, a high power choke with planar technology for DC/DC converters applications for electric traction and high density power electronics, especially recommended in hybrid and electric vehicles. Read more

August 17, 2012 Bulgin has unveiled a new addition to the company's rugged Buccaneer range of connectors, giving engineers and product design professionals even greater flexibility in systems design.
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August 16, 2012 Power Integrations has made two new additions to the company’s LinkSwitch-PH IC family. The devices allow commercial lighting applications up to 75 W to benefit from single-stage design, dramatically reducing BOM cost and enabling a smaller driver with high efficiency.
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August 9, 2012 International Rectifier has introduced the AUIRFR4292 and AUIRFS6535 automotive-qualified power MOSFETs featuring low on-state resistance (Rds(on)) for Piezo injection systems for both gasoline and diesel engines.
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July 20, 2012 Early in July 2012 Japan's Renesas Electronics Corp, the world's fifth-largest chipmaker, announced plans to reduce its workforce by 12 percent and shed half of its domestic plants within three years to be more competitive with overseas rivals. Can Europe help the company hit the road to recovery? Read more

July 19, 2012 ROHM has developed the BD7xxL2EFJ-C series of high-voltage (50 V) LDO regulators for automotive applications featuring the industry’s lowest dark current (6 μA) – 80% lower than conventional LDO regulators – utilizing a proprietary circuit design, reducing power consumption. Read more

July 2, 2012 Texas Instruments Incorporated has introduced the first in a family of multi-chemistry, multi-cell battery management gas gauge circuits with TI's proprietary Impedance Track capacity measurement technology.
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June 18, 2012 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has released the company’s new LFPAK33 portfolio – a range of high switching performance MOSFETs available in an ultra-reliable 3.3-mm x 3.3-mm power package.
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June 4, 2012 Infineon has introduced the second generation of its embedded power (ePower) devices. The new TLE983x System-on-Chip (SoC) product family integrates an 8-bit microcontroller with a LIN transceiver and related peripherals on a single chip to address the needs of space and cost sensitive automotive body applications. The devices are specifically designed to fit to a wide range of LIN-slave motor control applications where a small package form factor and a minimum number of external components are essential, including: window lifts, wipers, sun roofs, power seats and fan/blower control. The device may also be used in space constrained LIN-slave applications such as key pad interfaces and switch panel interfaces Read more

May 23, 2012 TDK Corporation has expanded its portfolio of SMD power inductors with new CLF7045-D types that can withstand temperatures of up to 150 °C. The CLF7045-D power inductors are thus suitable for applications with extreme operating temperatures such as power supply circuits in the engine compartment of automobiles. Other application possibilities are in ABS, airbag and headlight systems. Read more

May 9, 2012 Fuji Electric and chip manufacturer Infineon Technologies agreed to extend the supplier base for power modules deployed in automotive hybrid and electrical vehicles (HEV). At the PCIM Europe trade show in Nuremberg, the two companies announced their agreement on a joint common footprint for automotive IGBT power modules using Infineon's Hybrid PACK 2 power module. In response to the need for supply security for HEV power modules, the companies agreed on the size of the module, the position of pin-outs, the use of the pin-finned copper base plate and on other mechanical features. Read more

May 9, 2012 Automotive tier one Continental has introduced a new generation of its power electronics module for electric drive train applications. Since DC/DC converter and inverter are now integrated into a single package, the volume of the unit has been reduced by 33 percent, as did the weight. Read more

April 26, 2012 ROHM Semiconductor has released the company’s new ultra-high-bright PLCC4 LED SML-Y1 Series for optimum light emission, reliability and power efficiency. Read more

April 25, 2012 Nexteer Automotive has developed an electronic architecture for its electric power steering (EPS) systems that will make integration of new electronic features faster and provide greater functional safety. The architecture gives car manufacturers a single, customizable 12-volt platform for all passenger vehicle types, from low-cost micro-cars to the highest-specification luxury SUVs. Read more

April 12, 2012 International Rectifier has introduced an automotive-qualified IGBT optimized for soft switching applications such as Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater applications as used in electric and hybrid vehicles. Read more

April 6, 2012 Renesas Electronics is introducing 14 new intelligent power devices (IPDs), including the μ PD166023, designed for automotive applications driving exterior lamps such as headlamps and fog lamps as well as seat heaters and motors. Read more

April 4, 2012 Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) has introduced a dual output power supply for automotive applications that ensures stable, uninterrupted output voltages, even in cases where the input voltage drops significantly below the output voltage levels. Read more

March 22, 2012 International Rectifier has introduced an automotive-qualified AUIR3240S battery power switch for the combustion-engine shut-off and restart function (Stop-Start system) that can help reduce fuel consumption in automotive vehicles by up to 15 percent. Read more

March 9, 2012 Linear Technology Corporation is introducing a pushbutton on/off controller that manages 1.5V to 36 V system power via a pushbutton interface or the presence of a supply. Unlike typical pushbutton controllers that initiate system power-ups only with the toggle of a pushbutton, the LTC2955 automatically turns on a system when power is applied from a primary or secondary supply, such as a wall adapter or car battery. Read more

March 7, 2012 The MP4561 from Monolithic Power Systems is a 55V, 1.5A, step-down, switching regulator with an integrated power MOSFET and functions at a switching frequency of up to 2MHz. The wide 4.5V to 55V input range accommodates a variety of step-down applications, including those in an automotive input environment. Read more

February 14, 2012 Renesas Electronics has developed the V850E2/Fx4-L series which now features 19 new 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs). Designed for the automotive comfort and body segment, the low-power MCUs offer scalability and compatibility combined with sophisticated peripheral functions to provide premium automotive body solutions for applications such as roof or window lifters, door-, seat- and light modules, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and body control modules. Read more

January 30, 2012 International Rectifier has launched the AUIR0815S automotive-qualified IC featuring high output current in excess of 10 A to drive large IGBTs or MOSFETs in inverter stages for the power train of hybrid and electrical vehicles. Read more

January 5, 2012 The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has announced it will demonstrate more than 75 new products and prototypes at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. Demos will be held from January 10 through January 13, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Read more

January 5, 2012 Linear Technology Corporation has acquired Dust Networks, Inc., a leading provider of low power wireless sensor network (WSN) technology. The acquisition of Dust Networks, based in Hayward, California, will enable Linear to offer a complete high performance wireless sensor networking solution. Read more

December 26, 2011 As we are hurtle inexorably into 2012 now is time to unveil EE Times Europe Power Management's Top 10 most popular news stories of 2011. The results are based on the news stories that were accessed by EE Times Europe Power Management's readership since January 1, 2011. Read more

December 6, 2011 As part of its strategy of developing solutions to reduce CO2 emissions, automotive electronics supplier Valeo has acquired the Variable Torque Enhancement System (VTES) business of British automotive technology development company Controlled Power Technologies (CPT). Read more

December 6, 2011 Linear Technology Corporation has unveiled the LT3798, an isolated flyback controller with single stage active power factor correction (PFC). A power factor of greater than 0.97 is accomplished by actively modulating the input current, eliminating the need for an extra switching power stage and associated components. In addition, no opto-isolator or signal transformer is required for feedback since the output voltage is sensed from the primary-side flyback signal. Read more

December 5, 2011 Infineon Technologies has introduced automotive qualified lead-free power MOSFETs for TO package types. Based on the combination of innovative packaging technology and Infineon's thin wafer process technology, the new 40V OptiMOS T2 power MOSFETs offer best-in-class specifications. Read more

November 30, 2011 Texas Instruments Incorporated has announced the qualification of MSP430 16-bit microcontrollers for automotive applications. The AEC-Q100 certification allows developers to integrate higher performance, power efficiency and scalability into their designs without sacrificing on price. Read more

November 29, 2011 Analog Devices, Inc. has introduced a 16-channel audio D/A converter that is capable of improving audio system performance and reducing power consumption for professional, ‘prosumer’ and automotive audio equipment applications. Read more

November 28, 2011 Power electronics manufacturer Semikron has translated its Power Semiconductor application manual into English, after it has become rather popular in the German engineering community. In the book, power electronics designers find rich material on selection and application of IGBTs, MOSFETs, diodes and thyristors. Read more

November 15, 2011 NXP Semiconductors has introduced the first member in its latest generation of high-performance proximity contactless reader ICs. The CLRC663 combines robust multi-protocol support with high RF output power and patented groundbreaking low-power card detection technology. Driven by the market needs for higher integration, smaller housings and interoperability, the IC has been designed for use in a wide variety of infrastructure use cases such as banking, eGovernment, transport and mobile payment. Read more

November 14, 2011 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced two new automotive audio amplifiers supporting energy-saving start-stop systems – the TDF8530 and TDF8546. The TDF8530 is an ultra-efficient quad-channel Class-D audio amplifier supporting the 6 V requirement for start-stop vehicles. Read more

November 9, 2011 ZMD AG has unveiled a new Intelligent Battery Sensor IC for fuel saving start/stop systems and other solutions for measuring State-of-health (SOH), State-of-charge (SOC) or State-of-function (SOF) of a vehicle’s battery. The first member of a new Battery Power Management product line from ZMDI, the ZSSC1856 comes in a QFN32 5x5 package of only 0.85 mm height. Read more

October 31, 2011 Delphi Automotive has launched a new high-performance power inverter that helps increase fuel economy, reduce emissions and cut costs. Designed to power electric motors in hybrid and electric vehicles, the inverter offers characteristics important to vehicle manufacturers. Read more

October 21, 2011 Intersil Corporation has released a space-saving, AEC-Q100-qualified dual synchronous step-down DC/DC regulator featuring a 2.25 MHz switching frequency to minimize solution size. Read more

October 21, 2011 Intersil Corporation has released a new 2.5 A step-down regulator that automatically boosts the input voltage to maintain regulation. Read more

October 18, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced the AUIRS2332J 600 V three-phase gate driver IC for automotive high-voltage motor drives for electric (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications. Read more

October 17, 2011 Texas Instruments has introduced  an automotive power management integrated circuit (PMIC) to support 14 power voltage rails. As the industry's first automotive PMIC with more than 10 rails, the TPS658629-Q1 provides all power supply functions and reduces board space for infotainment, navigation and LCD/TFT cluster applications by integrating multiple regulated power supplies, system power management and display functions in one package. Read more

October 12, 2011 Toshiba Electronics Europe has announced a development kit for automotive ECUs which have to meet functional safety requirements according to ISO 26262 for street vehicles. Read more

October 4, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced a family of automotive-qualified 600 V IGBTs optimized for variable speed motor control and power supply applications used in electric and hybrid vehicles. Read more

September 27, 2011 Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation have selected Infineon as supplier of power modules for their current hybrid car generations, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia Optima. Hyundai and Kia, together the world’s fastest-growing and fifth-largest car manufacturer, teamed up with Infineon on the hybrid powertrain design including the Infineon HybridPACK 1 power module and the related control electronics as part of the electric motor inverter. Read more

September 20, 2011 Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH is to begin distributing the entire Redpine Signals product range throughout Europe. With 802.11n chipsets, modules and systems, Redpine offers integrated wireless solutions. Read more

September 16, 2011 Linear Technology Corporation has introduced the high reliability (MP-grade) version of the LT3512, a high voltage isolated monolithic flyback regulator that operates over a -55 to 150 °C junction temperature range. The device simplifies the design of an isolated DC/DC converter. Read more

September 6, 2011 As the first LED vendor in Korea, Seoul Semiconductor has started mass production for LED automotive headlights. The company also said its LEDs been adopted by one of the world's top four car manufacturers. Read more

September 5, 2011 Johnson Controls, Inc., and Saft are to end their joint venture, Johnson Controls-Saft, which was formed in 2006 to develop and manufacture Li-ion vehicle batteries. Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson Controls will acquire Saft’s share of the company for $145 million in cash. Read more

September 5, 2011 Infineon has introduced a family of single P-channel 40V automotive power MOSFETs produced using advanced trench technology. The new 40V OptiMOS P2 products aim power management applications for next-generation cars and offer improved energy efficiency, reduced CO2 emissions and cost savings. Read more

September 1, 2011 Vishay Intertechnology has introduced a surface-mount Power Metal Strip resistor that is the industry's first 4-terminal, 1 W current sensing resistor in the compact 0612 package size to offer a very low resistance range from 0.5 mΩ to 5 mΩ. Read more

August 11, 2011 A new specialist website for charging connectors and cables for electric vehicles will go live on 15 August 2011. The ecarconnectors website aims to provide a convenient single source for developers, manufacturers and after-market sales of products specific to the electric vehicle market including domestic chargers and public charging stations. Read more

August 10, 2011 Claimed to be the industry’s lowest-power contactless short-range communication transceiver, TI says the TRF7970A extends battery life up to 2 times longer than competitive products, as it provides eight selectable power modes ranging from <1 µA in power-down mode to 120 mA in full-power mode. Read more

August 4, 2011 Murata Power Solutions announced the 8300 series of toroidal surface mount power inductors in a 7.8 x 5.20 x 1.8 mm profile. The toroidal core of the 8300 series ensures that the magnetic flux is confined to the core. As a result stray fields are almost totally eliminated, accounting for the exceptional EMI characteristics of the series. Read more

July 28, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced the AUIR331x family of high-side intelligent power switch (IPS) devices with accurate current-sensing and built-in protection circuits for automotive applications. The new IPS devices enhance reliability in intelligent glow-plug controls, auxiliary positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters, engine cooling fan drivers and interior fan controllers. Read more

July 21, 2011 Power semiconductor manufacturer Semikron GmbH throws the switches towards the growing business with hybrid and battery electric drives for cars. The company already has a track record with forklifts, boat drives and similar concepts - now it finds it is time to get on board of mainstream cars. Read more

July 19, 2011 XP Power has introduced the MTC35 and MTC50 series of commercial off the shelf (COTS) 35 W and 50 W DC-DC converters aimed at a broad range of military vehicle and avionics applications. The robust and encapsulated board mounted modules accommodate a wide input range from 10 to 40 VDC, and can handle transients up to 50 VDC for up to 100 ms. Single output modules are available with + 3.3, + 5, + 12, + 15 or + 28 VDC outputs and can be adjusted between -20% and +10% via an external trim pin. Read more

July 12, 2011 Intersil Corporation has developed an AEC-Q100 qualified version of the ISL8088 - a high efficiency, dual synchronous step-down DC/DC regulator. The ISL78228 is designed to provide regulated power for use in remote safety cameras, infotainment systems, control modules and many other space-constrained automotive applications. Read more

July 7, 2011 Electric mobility drives research on inductive power transmission: The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has launched a project that aims at inductive power transmission. The approach of the KIT researchers opens interesting perspectives - it even could be applied during the ride. Read more

July 4, 2011 A collaborative research project of power components manufacturer Semikron AG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Components (IISB) looks into failure mechanisms of passive integrated silicon components. The goal of the project is to improve the reliability of power modules for electric and hybrid electric vehicles as well as conveyor vehicles and forklifts. Read more

June 16, 2011 Car makers Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen have agreed to jointly incorporate a number of common architectural elements for their on-board power network. These include an additional 48V section and a charging connector type for all electric and hybrid vehicles as well as CAN bus interfaces supporting partial network operation. Read more

May 25, 2011 Better energy efficiency as well as size and cost benefits are what STMicroelectronics promises for customers of its extended line of STripFET VI DeepGATE power MOSFETs. The chipmaker has added nine new automotive-grade devices to the product line. The new power transistors aim at applications in comfort, body and power-train electronics. Read more

May 24, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced the AUIR3330S Intelligent Power Switch (IPS) with a proprietary active di/dt control feature that significantly reduces conducted EMI and switching losses to simplify design and reduce overall system cost in automotive motor drive applications. Read more

May 17, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced a family of automotive qualified MOSFETs housed in a novel WideLead TO-262 package that reduces lead resistance by 50 percent compared to traditional TO-262 packages while offering 30 percent higher current. Read more

May 12, 2011 TDK-EPC Corporation has developed the VLM13580-D1 and DR SMD power inductors with extended operating temperature range and increased rated current. Thus, the new TDK power inductors are suitable for use as choke coils in the DC-DC converters of automotive engine control units (ECU). Read more

May 9, 2011 The BBC is reporting that in the UK only 704 of the 4,700 electric car charging points expected by the end of the year are in place and two-thirds of towns with a population of over 150,000 do not have any public charging infrastructure. Read more

April 28, 2011 International Rectifier has introduced an automotive DirectFET2 power MOSFET chipset optimized for DC-DC applications used in internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, hybrid and electric vehicles. Read more

April 13, 2011 Freescale Semiconductor has entered into a strategic alliance with Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. to collaborate on insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology and products for hybrid electric and electric vehicles (HEV and EV). With the move, Freescale eliminates a major shortcoming in its product portfolio. Read more

April 4, 2011 Powerstax has introduced a 3000 W DC-DC power conversion rack that has been developed specifically for harsh environmental conditions. Each of the three individual modules within the rack contain two of Powerstax's versatile F501 full brick DC-DC converters, coupled with a two phase boost converter to provide a standalone power solution. Read more

March 31, 2011 Semiconductor vendor CISSOID which specializes in high-temperature semiconductor solutions, unveils what it claims to be the first high-temperature silicon carbide high-voltage switch with seamless gate control through a simple logic-level 0/5V. Read more

March 31, 2011 Evida Power Ltd, designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles (EVs), has opened its UK headquarters at the TechnoCentre on the Coventry University Technology Park campus in Coventry, West Midlands. Evida, whose parent company is US-registered, maintains design and production facilities in Shenzhen, China, and offices in Jerusalem, Israel. Read more

March 23, 2011 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced a LIN transceiver family with an integrated low-drop voltage regulator in a small 3x3 mm leadless package. The TJA1028 is designed to power an automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU), integrating the major peripheral functions around the microcontroller of a typical LIN-networked ECU into a single chip. Read more

March 11, 2011 Aiming at automotive, industrial and medical markets, Microchip Technology has introduced the PIC18F “K80” 8-bit CAN microcontrollers (MCUs) featuring 1.8 – 5.5V operation and eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology. The vendor claims that the device's sleep current consumption of less than 20 nA is the lowest in industry. Read more

March 3, 2011 Green Hills Software announced that its Integrity real-time operating system has been optimized for the Power Architecture Variable Length Encoded (VLE) Instruction Architecture, available in Freescale Qorivva Power Architecture automotive microcontrollers such as the MPC55xx and MPC56xx families. With the move, Green Hills brings high-reliability partitioning to extremely resource constrained environments. Read more

February 8, 2011 ON Semiconductor has announced six new AEC-Q101 qualified logic level, single channel, power MOSFETs for automotive module in small, flat lead packages. According to the vendor, the devices combine high current ratings with low on resistance to address automotive requirements. Read more

February 8, 2011 Electric power and electronics are playing an ever-increasing role in all kinds of vehicles. Currently copper is the conductive material of choice. But in comparison to aluminium copper is heavy and expensive. In particular for fully electric vehicles the switch to the cheaper and lighter aluminium would be an interesting option. That is why the optimization of intricate power supply networks is now in the focus of engineering research. Scientists from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), in collaboration with BMW engineers, have now found out what tricks make it possible to replace copper with aluminium. Read more

January 18, 2011 Renesas Electronics has introduced 32 new N-channel power MOSFETs with voltage tolerances of 40 and 55 V. The new power MOSFETs include the NP75N04YUK device, featuring a compact HSON package with one-half the mounting area of the existing TO-252 package and the ability to handle current flows of up to 75 A. Read more

January 12, 2011 TDI has developed its LiquaCore (patent pending) power management technology to allow the electronics package to remain sealed, while enabling efficient management of waste heat at high power densities. The cooling liquid employed is either water or a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (anti-freeze). Read more

January 11, 2011 Volkswagen AG Business Unit Braunschweig plans to use Infineon's Hall sensors in its electric power steering systems for vehicles. Infineon’s TLE4998C4 programmable linear Hall sensor will be used for various model ranges. Infineon has already started to deliver the chips. Read more

December 13, 2010 South Korean foundry chipmaker Dongbu HiTek has announced a network of partners in support of analog and power circuit design and manufacturing with a particular emphasis on automotive applications and qualifications. Read more

December 7, 2010 PSA Peugeot Citroen uses an electric power steering system (EPS) from US Automotive for its EX1 electric-driven concept vehicle. Nexteer's single pinion EPS is already in volume production. Read more

December 6, 2010 Linear Technology Corporation has introduced a high voltage isolated monolithic flyback switching regulator that simplifies the design of an isolated DC/DC converter. No optocoupler, third winding or signal transformer are required for feedback since the output voltage is sensed from the primary-side flyback signal. Read more

November 30, 2010 NXP Semiconductors N.V. has unveiled the first MOSFET in the company's NextPower range with a 30 V Power-SO8 MOSFET, which claims the industry's lowest RDSon of 1.4 mOhm at 4.5 V. The new MOSFET, PSMN1R0-30YLC, is optimized for 4.5 V switching applications and is packaged in LFPAK, the industry's toughest Power-SO8 package. Read more

November 29, 2010 A research consortium led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solid-State Physics has launched a research program aiming at exploring the potential of Gallium Nitride (GaN) as semiconductor material offering better efficiency than silicon. The research activity is relevant for the automotive industry: GaN is one of the materials that could give a boost to electric drives for vehicles. Read more

November 26, 2010 Infineon Technologies AG is supplying power chips for electric cars from 2003 startup Tesla Motors Inc., according to a Bloomberg report that quotes Infineon CEO Peter Bauer. Read more

November 24, 2010 For the supply of controllers in applications including gateways, body computer, sun top controllers or, in general, the supply of automotive logic units in general, Elmos Semiconductor AG has developed a step-down converter product family with very low input current. With the devices, the chip vendor also aims at industrial markets. Read more

November 22, 2010 Swiss electronic component manufacturer Schaffner Group says it has received a large order to supply components for a series-production vehicle with electric drive. The value of the contract is in the “low double-digit million” range, the company says. Read more

November 8, 2010 The significance of the automotive industry for semiconductor manufacturers will increase steeply over the next years, predicts Strategy Analytics. The biggest driver for semiconductor demand is, not a big surprise, power train electrification. The market researcher's figures however are astonishing. Read more

November 3, 2010 Linear Technology Corporation has unveiled a high input voltage isolated flyback DC/DC controller with guaranteed operation for junction temperatures as high as 150 degrees C. Read more

October 18, 2010 austriamicrosystems has unveiled a smart power management System Basis Chip (SBC) which claims to be the first to combine a DC-DC converter and a high-speed transceiver on one high-performance analog device. The AS8650 features high efficiency of 85% minimum over all operation use-cases and high integration reduces cost, space and development time for engine control units (ECU) with a high-speed CAN interface. Read more

October 7, 2010 Automotive traction technology, usage concepts, geographical shifts, all these factors are changing and create challenges for the way vehicle electronics are defined. Rainer Kallenbach, group board member of automotive supplier Robert Bosch GmbH and EE Times Europe undertook a tour d'horizon of this industry segment. Read the whole interview here. Read more

September 20, 2010 In modern cars, fuel consumption reduction features such as start/stop function frequently challenge the vehicles electronics: When they switch off the engine, the supply voltage in the car can be reduced significantly. STMicroelectronics brings an audio power amplifier to market that operates unaffected by these voltage variations. Read more

September 16, 2010 At the opportunity of a visit to Bosch's semiconductor plant in Reutlingen, EE Times Europe caught a glimpse of the product offerings the company is preparing for the Electronica trade show later this year. Among the products to be launched are a very small 3D inertial sensor, a power module for e-bike drives and a lambda probe IC for engine management systems. Read more

August 24, 2010 The organizer of the Automechanika trade fair has announced the winners of this year's awards. Among others, a “green” battery concept and a universal diagnostic system are winners. Read more

August 23, 2010 International Rectifier has introduced a family of automotive DirectFET2 power MOSFETs for high frequency switching applications including the output stage for Class D Audio systems. Read more

August 2, 2010 National Semiconductor has introduced nine new 'Simple Switcher' power modules featuring an extended operating temperatures and vibration and drop testing for use in harsh environments. Target markets are automotive and off-highway vehicles as well as military and industrial applications. Read more

July 30, 2010 International Rectifier has expanded its family of automotive-qualified power MOSFETs for applications requiring low on-state resistance (RDS(on)) including on-board power supplies and heavy loads on Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) platforms, micro and full hybrid platforms Read more

July 26, 2010 Infineon Technologies has introduced a 30V Power MOSFET for high current automotive applications. The vendor claims the transistor features the world's lowest R DS(on). Read more

July 23, 2010 The PM 6006 power meter which has been introduced by TESEQ is specially designed to meet EMC immunity testing requirements that demand a large dynamic range, fast measurements, rugged design and a frequency range that matches the application. Read more

June 15, 2010 Linear Technology Corporation has unveiled a versatile DC/DC converter for boost, flyback, SEPIC and inverting power supply applications. Read more

June 14, 2010 International Rectifier has introduced the AUIPS7221R 65 V high-side intelligent power switch with fully integrated bootstrap function for fast automotive actuator applications including fuel magnetic injectors and braking valves. Read more

June 9, 2010 Linear Technology Corporation announces the LT3958, a high input voltage DC/DC converter for boost, flyback, SEPIC and inverting power supply applications. This device operates over an input voltage range from 5V to 80V, has an onboard 84V/3.5A power switch, and can achieve efficiencies up to 96%, making it well suited for industrial, automotive, medical and telecom applications. Read more

June 8, 2010 Cissoid, a supplier of high temperature semiconductor solutions, introduced a new product in their Planet family of high temperature transistors and switches. Earth is a high temperature 80V N-channel power MOSFET Transistor guaranteed for operation from -55°C up to +225°C. Read more

May 18, 2010 Semikron has introduced a series of SKAI 2 modules that claim to offer the most compact power electronic systems for hybrid and electric vehicles for use in the agricultural industry, construction industry, materials handling and battery-powered vehicles of any kind. Read more

May 18, 2010 Microchip announces the MCP2003 and MCP2004 (MCP2003/4) stand-alone LIN transceivers. Exceeding German automotive manufacturer requirements, the devices feature low system costs and a power consumption among the lowest ones the LIN transceiver market. Read more

April 30, 2010 NXP Germany and AVL Software have joined their forces in the Pollux research project aiming at extending the cruising range of electric vehicles. The research results also could improve the fuel efficiency of conventional cars. Read more

April 29, 2010 NXP Semiconductors has launched a number of automotive power MOSFETs in the compact, thermally enhanced Loss Free PAcKage (LFPAK). The Q101 qualified LFPAK devices combines NXP's expertise in packaging technology and its experience in TrenchMOS technology to deliver what is believed to be the most reliable Power SO-8 package in the world. LFPAK is optimised for high-density automotive applications with a footprint 46% smaller than that of DPAK whilst offering similar thermal performance. Read more

April 28, 2010 QNX Software Systems has announced release 6.5 of its Neutrino realtime operating system along with a new version of its QNX Momentics Tool Suite. The RTOS introduces a number of capabilities, including support for ARM Cortex-A9 processors and Freescale Power e500MC processor cores. Read more

April 27, 2010 National Semiconductor Corp. has announced what it claims to be the industry's first LED driver with dynamic headroom control and multiple outputs for high-power applications. Driving up to four strings of LEDs, the LM3464 maximizes system efficiency and reduces system complexity and cost in LED-intensive applications such as automotive, industrial, and street lighting. Read more

April 26, 2010 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation has released an electronic publication of Power 2 You a book that guides board designers in the implementation of board power supply management solutions that reduce costs, improve reliability and manage risk. Read more

April 22, 2010 Maxim Integrated Products has introduced a 2.2 MHz, high-voltage, four-channel power-management IC (PMIC) optimized for automotive applications that require up to four power rails at medium power levels. Read more

April 19, 2010 NXP Semiconductors claims to be the first supplier to launch a full range of automotive power MOSFETs housed in the compact, thermally enhanced Loss Free PAcKage (LFPAK). Read more

April 16, 2010 Micrel, Inc. is rolling out a high power boost regulator for driving high power LEDs. Read more

April 7, 2010 International Rectifier has introduced the company's first dedicated family of automotive qualified MOSFETs for a range of applications requiring low on-state resistance (RDS(on)) including Electric Power Steering (EPS), Integrated Starter Alternator (ISA) pump and motor control, DC-DC conversion, battery switch, and other heavy loads on Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicle platforms. Read more

March 19, 2010 Ultracapacitor energy storage capacities are predicted to increase by five to 10 times in the next five years, allowing the devices to replace batteries for many power-intensive applications, including hybrid vehicle acceleration and regenerative braking, claims Greentech Media Inc., in a new market analysis report released by the online media company, Read more

March 18, 2010 As an ideal DC-link circuit solution for the electric drives of motor vehicles presents TDK-EPC the PCC (Power Capacitor Chip) from Epcos. The B25655J4307K*1 and B25655J4507K*5 types were developed specifically for reference designs of the IGBT modules HybridPACK 1 (up to 20 kW) and Hybrid-PACK 2 (up to 90 kW) from Infineon Technologies. The PCCs are also contained in the new evaluation kits from this vendor. Depending on the power output, the inverter modules are suited for mild hybrid drives or for full electric drives. These modules are the only solutions currently in volume production. Read more

March 12, 2010 International Rectifier introduced the AUIPS7111S high-side intelligent power switch with ultra low on-state resistance (RDS(on)) for harsh 24V automotive environments such as under-the-hood truck junction boxes. Read more

March 4, 2010 Atmel Corporation is claiming that its new ATA6870 battery management circuit is the industry's first solution that features active cell balancing with capacitors or inductors for high-cell-count Li-Ion batteries supporting supply voltages up to several hundreds volts such as used in electrical/hybrid vehicles, e-bikes or uninterruptible power supplies. Read more

March 4, 2010 International Rectifier has introduced a high-side intelligent power switch with ultra low on-state resistance (RDS(on)) for harsh 24 V automotive environments such as under-the-hood truck junction boxes. Read more