September 20, 2012 A European consortium has developed monolithic 122-GHz radar sensor suitable for use in automotive parking, distance and speed measurement applications. The surface-mountable package measures 8-mm by 8-mm. It includes a mixed-signal silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS millimeter wave IC and antennas for transmitting and receiving. Read more

August 28, 2012 STMicroelectronics announced it has established a joint laboratory along with the Chinese vehicle manufacturer FAW Group Corp. The lab, located in FAW's R&D Center, emphasizes advanced research covering comprehensive cutting-edge solutions in power train, chassis, safety, car body, car infotainment, and new-energy technologies, as well as other automotive applications. FAW will adopt ST’s microcontrollers (MCUs), Application Specific Standard Products (ASSPs) and smart drivers in their advanced research in automotive electronics platforms. Read more

July 19, 2012 With digital car radio systems already being state of the art in some geographies while in other regions AM is still the predominant technology, a common technology for a continent-spanning radio platform is overdue. STMicroelectronics now has introduced a digital radio chipset that enables simultaneous reception and processing of AM/FM and multiple digital-radio broadcasts (e.g. DAB+). The product is accompanied by a software stack and support for a number of different broadcasting standards. Read more

July 17, 2012 STMicroelectronics offers what it claims to be the only surge protection devices certified to the automotive industry's preferred specifications. By saving the time needed for independent certification, these transient voltage suppressors (TVS) enable new products to reach the market more quickly and at more competitive prices. Read more

May 29, 2012 Motion sensors and microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics form the brain and senses of the airbag bicycle helmet invented by Hövding, a Swedish design house. Read more

May 7, 2012 STMicroelectronics has integrated remote control technology from RealVNC onto its automotive-grade infotainment application processors. Read more

April 30, 2012 Very high accelerations along all three axes senses a MEMS from STMicroelectronics. With its measurement range of up to 400g, the device suits applications in car black boxes as well as medical monitoring devices or even sports equipment. Read more

March 19, 2012 According to market research company Semicast, Renesas Electronics was the leading supplier of semiconductors to the OE automotive sector in 2011, ahead of Infineon Technologies. Freescale Semiconductor, for many years the leading supplier of automotive semiconductors, dropped to fourth position behind STMicroelectronics, while NXP Semiconductor retained its position as fifth ranked supplier. Read more

February 8, 2012 STMicroelectronics has introduced what it claims to be the market's first 3-axis digital-output gyroscope that meets the AEC-Q100 industry-standard qualification for automotive integrated circuits. ST's angular-rate sensor aims to add positioning accuracy and stability to a wide range of automotive applications, including in-dash navigation, telematics and vehicle tolling systems. Read more

January 27, 2012 STMicroelectronics has introduced the market's first multi-functional door-zone driver with an integrated electric-window control. This chip, which reduces bill-of-material costs and improves passenger comfort, has already been selected for broad adoption at a leading German car manufacturer. Read more

July 8, 2011 As an additional signal source for advanced driver assistance systems, Fraunhofer researchers have developed an intelligent optical sensor that can differentiate between fog and twilight. In contrast to available systems aiming at the luxury class, the new sensor will meet the price point for small vehicles. Read more

May 31, 2011 STMicroelectronics has announced a high-side current-sense amplifier which enhances precision measurement for price-sensitive applications in battery monitoring, power management and motor control. The TSC1021 simplifies the design of accurate measurement circuitry in electronic control unit, the vendor claims. 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

March 14, 2011 In the booming global market for automotive semiconductors, the cards have been shuffled anew. The pole position is now occupied by Renesas; the long-standing leader Freescale has dramatically fallen behind. Read more

January 25, 2011 The recovery in the global automotive markets has bestowed STMicroelectronics record revenues in Q4/2010 as well as in the entire FY2010. At the same time, the company announced a number of interesting R&D projects related to automotive technology. Read more

January 24, 2011 STMicroelectronics has launched a new generation of single-chip stand-alone positioning receivers for portable navigation devices, in-car navigation and telematics applications. These Systems-on-Chips are the industry's first monolithic devices capable of receiving signals from multiple satellite navigation systems, including GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and QZSS. Read more

November 10, 2010 STMicroelectronics has introduced a new family of high-g acceleration sensors for advanced airbag systems. The micro-machined devices detect a rapid deceleration of the vehicle during a crash and send instant information to the airbag control unit. Read more

October 29, 2010 STMicroelectronics has expanded its sensor portfolio with an automotive-grade three-axis low-g accelerometer. Combining low power consumption and small footprint with high precision and robust performance, the device targets a wide range of automotive applications, including vehicle tracking, event recording, abuse monitoring, and dead-reckoning for enhanced navigation capabilities. 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 15, 2010 STMicroelectronics has unveiled details of its I/O Hub (IOH) specifically designed to work with the Intel Atom processor E6xx series in automotive In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems. Read more

July 20, 2010 STMicroelectronics' HD radio chipset has been certified by HD Radio 'inventor' iBiquity digital Corp. for meeting comprehensive performance requirements. The move could translate into more momentum for the HD Radio technology for automotive infotainment. Read more

May 19, 2010 STMicroelectronics NV said it has integrated echo cancellation and noise reduction technologies from Alango Technologies Ltd into its advanced Bluetooth chips for car infotainment applications such as hands-free kits. Read more

May 13, 2010 Exposure to Chinese automobile makers helped Dutch chip vendor NXP BV (Eindhoven, The Netherlands) take the top position in the global automotive infotainment semiconductor market in an economically difficult 2009, according to market research company iSuppli Corp. (El Segundo, Calif.). Read more

May 5, 2010 After a long pursuit, Infineon has displaced Freescale from the pole position in the automotive chip ranking. According to market research company Strategy Analytics, Infineon in 2009 for the first time sold more semiconductors into the automotive market than archrival Freescale. Read more

April 5, 2010 A new high-side current-sensing IC from STMicroelectronics simplifies design of smarter and safer systems by sensing current more accurately and giving designers extra flexibility to adjust the sensor's output before inputting to the system controller. Read more