Compared with discrete solutions, the new high-speed single-chip lidar laser driver can detect objects more quickly and accurately.

The new high-performance automotive clock based on bulk acoustic wave (BAW) has a reliability 100 times higher than that of quartz-based clocks, thus achieving safer operation.

Automakers can leverage Texas Instruments' latest millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar sensors to enhance the capabilities of front-mounted and angular radar sensors.

Texas Instruments (TI) has recently launched a series of new automotive lidars, clocks and radar chips, aiming to help automakers enhance vehicle safety performance by introducing more autonomous driving functions to more types of vehicles. Texas Instruments' brand-new LMH13000 is an integrated high-speed liDAR laser driver that enables ultra-fast rise times, thereby enhancing real-time decision-making capabilities. The automotive clock products based on bulk acoustic wave (BAW), namely the CDC6C-Q1 oscillator and the LMK3H0102-Q1 and LMK3C0105-Q1 clock generators, have improved the reliability of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). To support the evolving demands of ADAS, Texas Instruments has newly launched the AWR2944P millimeter-wave radar sensor, which is equipped with advanced front radar and corner radar functions.

Our brand-new automotive simulation and embedded processing products not only help automakers meet current safety standards but also accelerate their development towards a collision-free future. Zhao Xiangyuan, the director of technical support for Texas Instruments China, said, "Semiconductor innovation provides automakers with the reliability, accuracy, integration and economy needed to enhance the autonomy of vehicles throughout their entire fleet."

The measurement distance is extended by 30% to improve real-time decision-making

Lidar is a key technology for future safe autonomous vehicles, capable of providing detailed three-dimensional maps of the driver's surrounding environment. This enables vehicles to accurately detect obstacles, traffic and road conditions and respond promptly, thereby improving real-time decision-making. Texas Instruments' brand-new LMH13000 is an integrated high-speed laser driver that offers an ultra-fast rise time of 800ps, extending the measurement distance by up to 30% compared to discrete solutions. This device integrates low-voltage differential signals (LVDS), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), and transistor-Transistor-logic (TTL) control signals, without the need for large capacitors or other external circuits. This integration can also reduce the system cost by an average of 30%, while reducing the size of the solution by four times, enabling design engineers to discretely install compact and cost-effective lidar modules in more areas and on more vehicle models.

As lidar technology achieves higher output currents, the pulse duration varies greatly with temperature, posing a severe challenge to meeting eye safety standards. The LMH13000 laser driver from Texas Instruments can provide an adjustable output current of up to 5A, with a variation rate of only 2% within an ambient temperature range of -40 ° C to 125 ° C. In contrast, the variation of discrete solutions can be as high as 30%. The short pulse width generation and current control functions of this device enable the system to comply with the Class 1 eye safety standards of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Design reliable ADAS with the new BaW-based automotive clock

The electronic components in ADAS and in-vehicle infotainment systems must still be able to operate reliably in the face of temperature fluctuations, vibrations and electromagnetic interference. Thanks to Texas Instruments' BAW technology, the reliability of the new CDC6C-Q1 oscillator and the LMK3H0102-Q1 and LMK3C0105-Q1 clock generators is 100 times higher than that of traditional quartz clocks, and the time base failure rate is only 0.3. Enhanced clock accuracy and recovery capabilities under harsh conditions make the operation of the next-generation vehicle subsystem safer, data communication simpler, and data processing faster.

In addition, Texas Instruments has launched a new type of front and corner radar sensor, the AWR2944P, based on the widely adopted AWR2944 platform. The enhanced functions of the new radar sensor improve vehicle safety by expanding the detection range, enhancing Angle accuracy and implementing more complex processing algorithms. The main enhanced functions include:

Improve the signal-to-noise ratio;

Enhance computing power;

● Larger memory capacity;

Integrated radar hardware accelerators enable microcontrollers and digital signal processors to perform machine learning for edge artificial intelligence applications.

Texas Instruments' new automotive radar, clock and radar solutions can assist engineers in designing adaptable ADAS, providing a safer and more automated driving experience.

Packaging, supply status and price

The pre-produced LMH13000, CDC6C-Q1, LMK3H0102-Q1, LMK3C0105-Q1 and AWR2944P are now available for purchase on the TI official website. The supporting resources for these new devices include:

● Multiple payment methods and delivery methods;

● Evaluation module.