Dialog Semiconductors and Alpine Alpi have teamed up to develop haptic control applications for cars

     Dialog Semiconductor, a leading provider of battery and power management, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), industrial IoT solutions, announced that its DA7280 HD haptic control driver IC has been certified to automotive grade. The IC has been selected by Alps Alpine, a leading manufacturer of automotive electronic components and in-vehicle information equipment, to be used in conjunction with the Alps Alpine Heavy, the latest product in the company's HAPTIC™Reactor linear resonant actuator (LRA) family. The automotive certification of the DA7280 and its integration with the Alps Alpine Heavy LRA will bring more innovative haptic control experiences to automotive applications, filling in the gaps of competing solutions.

     The DA7280 delivers the lowest standby power consumption while powering the most powerful LRA on the market, balancing stability with an immersive HD haptic control user experience. When combined with the Alps Alpine Heavy, the DA7280 produces up to 15Gs of vibration force (100g mass block), about 10 times the vibration force generated by most smartphones.

     Dialog's technology, combined with Alpert's LRA products, meets the needs of an accelerating trend in the automotive industry: dynamic display control panels in the cockpit (multiple flat screens or a single giant flat screen) use haptic technology to provide immediate feedback to the driver. This is both a user-friendly aesthetic choice and, more importantly, a safety precaution.

     According to the report, more than 1.3 million people die on the world's roads every year, and other studies have suggested that driver behavior and driver distraction are the main causes of accidents. Dialog's haptic controls, in combination with the Alps Alpine Heavy LRA, help drivers reduce risk by providing a range of high-definition haptic experiences that make the car's user interface simpler and more intuitive to use, reducing driver distraction.

     Sean McGrath, senior vice president and general manager of the Connectivity and Audio Business Unit at Dialog Semiconductors, said: "Our partnership with Alpine Alpi will bring drivers a more robust tactile control experience that improves driving safety. This haptic control solution demonstrates our shared commitment to continuous innovation and setting new standards in the automotive industry."

     The Dialog Tactile Control driver IC provides design engineers with an easy-to-use solution that helps them create a clearer tactile experience for drivers and passengers. The device's OTP capability also gives engineers the option to drive the motor in hardware-triggered mode without the need for software. In addition, smaller sizes and lower BOM costs help Oems and Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive industry maximize the value of their systems.

     Design engineers can use the standard circuitry of the DA7280 and Alps Alpine Heavy LRA and have the flexibility to customize the haptic control experience for OEM automotive customers. For example, enabling non-engineering UX designers at Oems, ODMs, and Tier 1 automakers to deploy brand-specific haptic experiences across their entire fleet.