Allegro's new LED drivers bring high-end lighting to ordinary vehicles while enhancing vehicle safety

     Allegro MicroSystems, a global leader in sensing technology and power semiconductor solutions for motion control and energy saving systems, announced the expansion of its automotive lighting portfolio with the launch of two new products for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). As a unique solution on the market, the A80803 utilizes multiple topological conversions and patented IP to achieve smooth high/near/high light conversion with a single IC. The A80804 linear LED driver delivers higher power for automotive lighting applications through multiple independently configurable channels. Both products help designers reduce the number of ics needed to build higher security automotive lighting systems, resulting in higher performance and a more compact design at a lower system cost.

     Vehicle lighting plays an important role in ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers. According to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), driving at night is three times riskier than driving during the day, and vehicles with IIHS "good" rated headlights have nearly 20 percent lower crash rates than those with "poor" ratings. ADAS applications and enhanced lighting can improve road visibility and vehicle visibility at night, which can significantly reduce driver response times and help prevent collisions, thus saving lives.

     The A80803 is a switch-mode constant-current controller for high-power LED automotive lighting applications that addresses many common pain points for headlight designers, and its innovative features make it easier for headlight designers to introduce advanced lighting features into mainstream vehicles. The A80803's multi-topology single-ended controller design combined with wide input/output voltage capabilities provides a universal solution for a wide variety of applications and/or multiple leds. Spi-based control or EEPROM-based line-end programming options for independent operations further extend the application potential.

     The A80804 is Allegro's first four-channel linear driver for high-power leds. In addition to targeted applications such as DRL/ location lights and parking lights/taillights, it also provides lighting designers with more flexibility in designing popular features such as sequential turn signals, animation effects, and theater-style switching. The A80804 requires no switching elements or inductors, and its low EMI helps meet CISPR25 Class 5 standards. It also offers a variety of analog and PWM dimming methods, dual luminance mode operation, and can be configured without a microcontroller.

     "Today's premium and luxury vehicles have many comfort and safety features, but often take years to enter the lower-priced mainstream, largely due to the cost of the solution," said Mark Gaboriault, Allegro's Regulator and lighting product line Director. The A80803 is able to provide headlight designers with a compact, cost-effective solution to automatically manage the electrical conversion from nearlight to high beam without multiple LED drivers and local microcontrollers. The A80803 is a unique product that will help democratize headlight design, improve driver and passenger safety, and provide consumers with an engaging and personalized driving experience. "With the A80804, lighting designers are now able to enable animation and other lighting effects in a cost-effective manner, simplifying the design process while improving visibility and driver safety, and minimizing the bill of materials (BoM)."