NXP ships 500 millionth ABS sensor module

SINGAPORE: NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced that it has shipped more than half a billion ABS speed sensor modules – a key milestone in NXP’s relationship with Continental, one of the leading global automotive suppliers.

The Chassis & Safety Division of Continental has worked closely with NXP to develop advanced ABS/ESC sensor modules that are now used by most car manufacturers in the world, in both the standard and high-end segments of the market.

“The reliability, precision and functionality of our wheel speed sensors are key for our leading position in the global market – and our close collaboration with NXP has been important to our success,” said Dr. Bernhard Klumpp, executive vice president, Business Unit Sensorics, Continental. “Our wheel speed sensors also form a foundation for our advanced driver assistance - systems such as Emergency Brake Assist City, which can prevent nose-to-tail collisions in urban traffic.”

Installation of anti-lock brake systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) has grown steadily over the past few decades, and is expected to grow significantly, particularly in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil. According to Strategy Analytics, total demand for ABS and ESC systems reached 45.7 million units in 2009, and is expected to reach 91.9 million units in 2017, with up to four wheel speed sensors per system.

In Western markets, ABS has become standard in new vehicles; in the US, ESC will be required for all 2012 model year cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans by September 2011, while in Europe, ESC is now mandatory for new model types by 2011 (EU Commission) and all new vehicles by the end of 2014.

NXP and Continental are the leading suppliers of speed sensors using magnetoresistive (MR) technology. Working together in close cooperation, the two companies have been leading the introduction of automotive products with MR technology in the marketplace.

NXP’s high-quality rotational MR sensors can accurately and reliably detect and measure wheel speed. MR sensors offer clear advantages over devices employing other sensing methods: they are very precise and very robust in harsh automotive environments, since they operate with low noise and suffer less from drifts due to age or thermal influences. Due to their high accuracy, NXP’s ABS/ESC sensor modules can even be used for certain tire-pressure monitoring functionality.

The NXP portfolio also includes high-end sensors, including the first sensor on the market with the new VDA protocol amongst many others. The high-end sensors provide increased performance, advanced fail-safe features and improved signal processing, which enable safety and driver-assistance functions such as ESC, hill-holder systems and parking assistance.

“Continental is at the forefront of enabling new levels of safety and driver assistance, particularly in brake systems and chassis engineering,” said Kurt Sievers, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive Business at NXP Semiconductors. “The proven track record of Continental’s ABS wheel speed sensors, which feature MR sensor chips from NXP, is a strong testament to the reliability and performance of our speed sensors. They are also a great example of High Performance Mixed Signal technology in action.”

Speed sensors from NXP can also be used in other applications such as engines and transmission.