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How
many microsystems can you afford?
Car manufacturers need to produce less expensive and better performing cars, but also have to meet stricter governmental and environmental regulations. Evolution of the automotive industry towards a replacement of mechanical systems with electrical and "intelligent" aggregates in future generation of vehicles has led to an increasing demand for smart sensor low-cost, robust and simple to integrate microsystems. During the past 10 years the use of microsystems in vehicles has increased steadily; for 2003 about 95 Million MST pressure sensors are estimated. Yet, many observers have noted that profitability for the producers is taking far longer time than expected. Rapid price degradation due to competition, long development cycles and large capital investments are primary reasons. To leverage their investments, MST producers have to realise products high volume perspectives and attractive margins. In the case of "blue sky" technologies, there is a strong demand for co-operation between the car manufacturers themselves. In order to reduce risk and secure economies of scale, industry needs to pick winning technologies together, rather than developing rival proprietary solutions. The winners will be those who are able to match their technologies to the needs of the customers. Today a car contains about 20-50 sensors and between 15 and 50 electronic control units. With current automotive forecast of 45 million units per year, this represents a significant opportunity for microsystems developers. |
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AMAA: Technology meets Reality Since 1995 the AMAA offers the opportunity for innovators to meet with systems suppliers and car manufacturers. AMAA is a marketplace for competing technologies rather than a conventional conference, and provides an excellent basis for technology transfer. It is the only industrial platform of this kind in Europe, "and possibly in the world" as an automotive journalist commented the event. Lifely discussions gave an interesting insight into promising activities and created a work-shop-atmosphere. About 100 scheduled bilateral meetings were used for in depth discussions and first negotiations. 25 new technological solutions were presented, in sessions devoted to sensor systems - design and control, occupancy detection and safety systems. A fourth session dealt with engine control systems, in which ion current as well as conventional and fibre-optical pressure detection solutions were discussed. A low cost solution combining the functionalities of measuring burn timing and air/fuel ratio, misfire and knock detection and estimation of the pressure peak location is not yet found. Following Mr. Schmitfranz (DaimlerChrysler AG), who chaired the session, the variety of engines and specific set ups makes the question for the winning philosophy absolete. The technologies on view included a current sensor microsystem presented by Mr. Friedrich of Sensitec. It is based on a MR differential magnetic field sensor chip and a mixed-signal ASIC mounted on a Ceramic substrate, packaged as dual in-line SMC component. The nominal current of the sensor is determined by the geometry of the primary U-shaped current conductor and its position relative to the MR sensor chip. The high sensitivity of the MR effect eliminates the need of magnetic field concentrators. The presentation of Mr. Repetto (Fiat Research Centre) dealt with diffractive and micro-optical systems. He underlined the variety of possible solutions (e.g. micro-optics based adaptive headlamp - see figure) and introduced systems already in use. The most diverse discussed topic was occupancy detection. Mr. Schwarte (S-TEC) introduced a very interesting PMD-technology based optical approach. But - as Mr. Fischer (Delphi Delco Electronics Systems) outlined - immediate applications could be most promising realised as combination of IR-range and weight sensors. Camera based solutions, a.o. presented by Mr. Boverie (Siemens Automotive SA) open up new long term perspectives. |
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Proceedings:
Springer Verlag, ISBN 3-540-67087-4, 310 pp, EUR 101.24
Author: Sven Krueger (krueger@vdivde-it.de) |