A power management chip that combines safety, sensing, and power functions reducing component count while supporting next generation braking systems. How?
Allegro MicroSystems has introduced the A81415, an ASIL D certified power management IC that integrates a wheel speed sensor interface for electromechanical braking systems. Designed for brake by wire architectures, the device combines power management and wheel speed sensing in a single chip, reducing the need for multiple discrete components in automotive corner modules.
As software defined vehicles continue to adopt brake by wire technology, electronics located at each wheel must deliver reliable power and accurate sensing while operating under vibration, limited space, and harsh thermal conditions. Conventional designs typically rely on separate safety PMICs, wheel speed decoder ICs, and external power components, increasing board complexity and potential failure points. By integrating these functions, the new device aims to simplify system design while supporting functional safety requirements.
The PMIC includes an on-chip wheel speed sensor interface capable of decoding standard two level, PWM, and three level AK protocols. It also integrates a buck boost preregulator, five low dropout regulators, and a single inductor architecture that removes the need for external switches and diodes. According to the company, this integration eliminates up to nine external components, frees more than 50 percent of usable PCB space, and enables decoded wheel speed data to be transferred directly over SPI, reducing latency and easing microcontroller workload. The device is qualified to ASIL D and AEC Q100 standards and supports both 12 V and 48 V vehicle architectures when paired with the company’s preregulator and gate driver solutions.
“Intelligent chassis systems demand that sensing and power electronics at the wheel act as one. Allegro combined our wheel speed sensing leadership and high reliability power management expertise into our new PMIC to give our customers a simpler, safer and highly scalable foundation for modern vehicle brake by wire,” says Peter Wells, Business Line Director, High Performance Power at Allegro MicroSystems.
Click here for the official announcement.
