Microchip introduces touch controllers for automotive smart panels and multifunction displays

     In addition to in-vehicle central infotainment displays (CID), automakers are trying to add touch displays to help elevate and improve the driving experience. To support these advanced features for auxiliary display applications, Microchip Technology expands its market-leading maXTouch portfolio with the introduction of a new family of MXT288UD touch controllers.

     The series is the industry's smallest automotive-grade packaged touch screen controller. The MXT288UD-AM and MXT144UD-AM devices feature low-power mode, extreme weather operation, and glove touch detection for multi-function displays, touch screens, and smart panels in cars, motorcycles, e-bikes, and car-sharing services.

     Auxiliary touch panels can be placed inside and outside the vehicle, such as handlebars, doors, electronic mirrors, control knobs, steering wheels, between seats, or on armrests. With the MXT288UD family's small 7 x 7 mm automotive grade VQFN56 package, Tier 1 suppliers can reduce board space by 75% and minimize the overall bill of materials (BoM) for this type of compact application, while meeting market demands for superior and reliable touch performance. The series' low-power touch-wait mode consumes less than 50 µA, and the system remains responsive to the user even when the display is turned off to save power or avoid interfering with the driver at night. Just touch anywhere on the panel to wake up the system.

     In addition, the MXT288UD-AM and MXT144UD-AM devices are capable of detecting and tracking thick glove multi-finger touch action through a variety of covering materials and covering thicknesses, such as leather, wood or uneven surfaces, even in wet conditions. Normally, the dielectric constant of such covering materials would limit touch detection, but this device provides a unique solution to reliably detect and track multiple fingers with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) through a proprietary differential mutual acquisition scheme.

     In car-sharing applications, for example, this reliable touch feature helps users access the car in any environment, such as rain or snow or extremely hot weather, by tracking touch coordinates on an external display. Motorcycles and other motor vehicles also benefit from this extreme weather protection design. As a turnkey solution, the MXT288UD family offers proven firmware, developed according to the Automotive SPICE® process and certified AEC-Q100, enabling today's automotive manufacturers to easily integrate it into existing systems, reducing risk and accelerating time to market.

     Fanie Duvenhage, Microchip's vice president of Human Interface and Touch Products, said: "Automotive Oems want to enhance the user experience with smart panels and multifunctional displays that allow users to enjoy convenience while being free from environmental distractions. To meet market demand, Microchip built on its already leading portfolio of automotive touch screen solutions with the new MXT288UD family of touch controllers. This series is the industry's smallest automotive-grade package touch screen controller with high performance and low cost."