Microchip's single-chip maXTouch touchscreen controller supports 20-inch automotive touch screens

     The MXT2912TD-A with nearly 3,000 touch sensing nodes and the MXT2113TD-A with support for more than 2,000 nodes give customers the automotive touch screen user experience they've always dreamed of. The new devices are based on Microchip's maXTouch touchscreen technology, which is widely used by manufacturers around the world. Microchip's latest solution provides superior signal-to-noise ratio performance to meet thick glass cover requirements, enabling multi-finger touch even when operated with gloves or when the screen is wet.

     As the size of touch screen displays in cars increases, drivers want to get a touch experience like a phone when operating. However, car screens need to pass rigorous head impact and vibration tests, so they have thicker cover glass, which can affect the performance of touch screens. As the screen size increases, touch screens are more likely to be interfered with by other frequencies, such as AM radios and vehicle access control systems. All of these factors are major problems when designing capacitive touch systems in modern cars. To address these issues, Microchip introduced a new line of single-chip maXTouch touchscreen controllers.

     As automakers use touch screens instead of mechanical switches on dashboards for more aesthetically pleasing interior designs, safety and reliability of operation are becoming more important. The MXT2912TD and MXT2113TD devices combine self-diagnostics and sensor diagnostics to continuously monitor the integrity of the touch system. These intelligent diagnostic functions meet the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) classification criteria specified in the ISO 26262 Functional Safety Specification for Passenger Vehicles.

     The technology used in the new device enables adaptive touch detection using both self-capacitance and mutual capacitance detection methods, so that all touch actions can be recognized and false touch detection can be avoided. They also leverage Microchip's new patented signal shaping technology to significantly reduce signal emissions and help large screens using maXTouch controllers meet CISPR-25 Level 5 automotive EMI requirements. The new touch screen controller also meets Class 3 (-40 to +85°C) and Class 2 (-40 to +105°C) automotive-grade temperature ranges and has been AEC-Q100 certified.

     With the launch of the new maXTouch touchscreen controller, Microchip enables customers to achieve full scalability, providing the industry's only complete and growing portfolio of automotive-grade multi-size touchscreen controllers. Designers can design applications ranging from small tablet devices to large displays in the same development environment, with the same host software interface and superior user experience, ultimately reducing design cycles while reducing system and development costs.

     Fanie Duvenhage, vice president of Microchip's human Interface business unit, said: "Microchip has many years of experience in the automotive industry. Customer service is not just about providing integrated circuits, it is about partnering with customers through a complex supply chain of touch systems, so we deliver displays, sensors and all communication services that meet customer expectations. The new device builds on these achievements and follows the current trend of increasing screen size and decreasing finger separation in cars."