Chassis control systems rely on position sensor IC

The AEC-Q100 qualified AS5162 features non-contacting semiconductor technology which is immune to stray magnetic fields. Unlike optical or contacting position sensors, however, it is unaffected by contaminants such as oil, grease or dirt. The internal 14-bit core of the AS5162 enables a fine programming of the start and stop positions with a resolution of 0.02° to allow the finest system mechanical adjustments. Additionally, the AS5162 can be used in other position sensing applications such as headlight range and level controls, and for other angle measurements (such as in commercial vehicles including dump trucks).

Continental's CPS series is used in the latest active chassis control systems to measure the height of a vehicle’s chassis relative to its wheels. In a safety-critical system such as this, the CPS series is required to comply with the ISO26262 functional safety standard (requiring vehicle manufacturers to: achieve high levels of reliability; analyse the effects of the failure modes of components and systems; and take measures to guarantee functional safety in the event of a predictable failure).

With its extremely low failure In time rate (a key measure of reliability defined by industry standards), the AS5162 underpins Continental’s achievement of ISO26262 compliance for its CPS series product. The wafer fabrication processes of ams also provide for precise analysis of the device’s failure modes.

"Advanced active chassis control systems call for very precise, accurate and fast measurement of the movement of the chassis. This is a perfect application for the AS5162, a high-sensitivity, low-noise position sensor. And ams provides fully traceable data to support automotive manufacturers’ functional safety design practices, helping to minimize the effort required to comply with ISO26262," comments Bernd Gessner, Vice-President and General Manager, Automotive Business Unit, ams.