Toshiba Corporation has announced the launch of the TB9081FG, a brushless motor pre-driver IC enhanced to achieve functional safety, for use in electric power steering systems (EPS).
More and more safety-critical automotive systems, such as EPS, are required to meet the requirements of ASIL-D, the highest automotive safety integrity level prescribed in ISO 26262, 'Road Vehicles – Functional Safety'.
The TB9081FG integrates key functions, including 3-phase pre-driver circuits, fail-safe relay pre-driver circuits and motor current detection circuits, plus various failure detection circuits. An initial diagnosis circuit to detect latent faults in the failure detection circuits is also incorporated to secure higher functional safety.
The unit is available in a 12 x 12 x 1.6mm package and operates over a voltage range of 4.5 to 18V and a temperature range of between -40 and 125°C.
Toshiba has also carried out a range of functional safety analyses to simulate various system failures and will provide customers with documentation, such as FMEDA, to support safety analysis and design.
Author
Tom Austin-Morgan
Source: www.newelectronics.co.uk