Melexis introduces the world's first combined sensor for smart tire pressure

     Melexis has announced the introduction of the smart tire pressure sensor IC MLX 91805 to help Oems cope with upcoming tire monitoring regulations (with scope extended to commercial vehicles) aimed at driving the development of a new generation of smart tires.

     Unlike current rim-mounted TPMS sensors, the MLX 91805 TMS is specially designed to be embedded inside the tire and has an integrated 800g XZ axis accelerometer that can sense up to 10,000 samples per second. The product also integrates high-precision pressure sensors as well as temperature and voltage sensors.

     The MLX 91805 is suitable for commercial vehicle tires, including heavy duty and passenger cars. New EU regulations on tire pressure monitoring for heavy-duty commercial vehicles are expected to be implemented in 2022-2024, and the MLX 91805's multiple sensors can help ensure compliance and provide additional information (such as load) to help extend tire life and improve fuel economy and safety.

     "The tire's contact with the road can have a huge impact on vehicle behavior. Our new sensor IC is designed to capture information directly from the road surface." "This world-first product will help tire manufacturers create a new generation of smart tires that will provide added value to owners and operators, maximize the efficiency and safety of new services, and advance the development of autonomous vehicles," said Ivan Zagan, product manager for tire pressure monitoring sensors at Melexis.

     The MLX 91805 integrates a low-power 16-bit microcontroller and a 315/433 MHz RF transmitter that consumes only 5 mA at 5 dBm output power and has a sleep current as low as 90 nA, enabling continuous operation for the entire life of the tire with a small battery. In addition to built-in diagnostic and fault detection capabilities, the product features a mathematical coprocessor that supports fast and energy-efficient digital signal processing (DSP). To further promote the development of smart tires, the MLX 91805 is equipped with a Melexis library that helps application-level software acquire and interpret critical information, such as accelerometer signals in the ground area of the tire.