Allegro Introduces High-Resolution GMR Wheel Speed and Distance Sensors for ADAS Applications

     Allegro MicroSystems, a global leader in sensing technologies and power semiconductor solutions for motion control and energy saving systems, announces the new A19360 wheel speed and distance sensor ideal for emerging applications such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This technology-leading giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor provides automakers with the high signal resolution and reliability required for high-level autonomous driving in passenger cars and other mobility-as-a-service vehicles.

     According to a recent report by strategy consulting firm Strategy&, the first passenger cars with Level 3 autonomous driving (conditional autonomous driving) capabilities will generally be available by the end of 2022. By 2025, vehicles with Level 4 (highly automated) capabilities will be in manned applications. By 2030, vehicles with L3, L4 and L5 (full automation) capabilities are expected to account for 20% of the European car market, 12% of the US market and 11% of the Chinese market. Although the new crown epidemic and government regulations have delayed the progress of autonomous driving technology, automakers are actively developing corresponding software and hardware systems, and the new sensor A19360 released by Allegro is exactly the components required for these systems.

     "Our new A19360 sensor is a game-changer for autonomous vehicle manufacturers, designed for SAE J3016 L3, L4 and L5 autonomous driving, with its improved 4x the accuracy of location measurement to help safely enable features such as park assist, fully automatic valet parking, and traffic jam assist, it even improves autonomous driving and low-speed control in congested environments ."

     Autonomous vehicles require excellent wheel-turn information for accurate low-speed control. The A19360 can generate additional output events per magnetic cycle to provide higher resolution data to automotive control systems by using a special protocol compatible with the electronic control unit (ECU), including 8 events per magnetic cycle for ADAS applications mode, which provides incremental resolution approximately every 5mm for tire roll. The A19360 also includes a 4 events per magnetic cycle mode, which doubles the number of outputs per magnetic cycle compared to normal wheel speed sensors. This allows designers to halve the number of poles on the inner ring magnets of the hub, resulting in significant cost savings, or to increase the air gap and still achieve the same number of increments per revolution.

     The A19360 is based on Allegro's monolithic GMR technology, developed specifically for the ISO 26262 ASIL B(D) standard, with ultra-low jitter and large air gap capability. The A19360 also integrates Allegro's SolidSpeed Digital Architecture™, which provides a wider dynamic range operating air gap and highly adaptive performance that eliminates system failures due to thermal drift and system dynamics.