Summary of MELEXIS ANNOUNCES WORLD-FIRST COMBINED SENSOR FOR SMART TIRES
Melexis launched the MLX91805, an embedded smart tire sensor for commercial and passenger vehicles. Designed to meet upcoming EU regulations, it integrates accelerometers, pressure, temperature, and voltage sensors with a microcontroller and RF transmitter. This device captures real-time road interaction data to enhance safety, fuel efficiency, and self-driving capabilities while ensuring long battery life through low-power design.
Parts used in the MLX91805 Smart Tire Sensor:
- 800g XZ-axis accelerometer
- High-accuracy pressure sensor
- Temperature sensor
- Voltage sensor
- Low-power 16-bit microcontroller
- 315/433 MHz RF transmitter
- Tiny battery
- Math coprocessor
- Digital Signal Processing (DSP) unit
- Melexis Library software
Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, has unveiled the MLX91805 smart tire sensor to help OEMs prepare for the forthcoming extension of mandatory tire-pressure monitoring to include commercial vehicles and to enable future generations of smart tires.
Specially designed to be embedded in the tire, unlike current rim-mounted TPMS sensors, the MLX91805 TMS integrates an 800g XZ-axis accelerometer that senses up to 10,000 samples per second. It also integrates a high-accuracy pressure sensor as well as temperature and voltage sensors.
The MLX91805 is suited to tires for commercial vehicles, including heavy-duty, and passenger cars. With new EU regulations on tire-pressure monitoring for heavy-duty commercial vehicles intended to come into force in 2022-2024, its multiple sensors help ensure compliance and provide extra information, such as loading, that can extend tire life and boost fuel economy and safety.
The interface between the tire and the road has a huge influence on vehicle behaviour. This is exactly where our new sensor is designed to be, capturing information directly from the road,” said Ivan Zagan, Product Manager Tire Monitoring Sensors at Melexis. “This world-first device lets tire manufacturers create the next generation of smart tires to deliver extra value for owners and operators, enable new services to maximize fuel efficiency and safety, and contribute to the development of self-driving vehicles.
Integrating a low-power 16-bit microcontroller and 315/433 MHz RF transmitter that draws just 5mA at 5dBm output power, and with an extremely low 90nA sleep current, the MLX91805 can run from a tiny battery for the life of the tire. In addition to built-in diagnostics and fault detection, a math coprocessor allows fast and energy-efficient Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Further assisting the development of smart tires, the MLX91805 comes with Melexis’ Library to help application-level software capturing and interpreting key information like accelerometer signals of the tire footprint area.
Read more: MELEXIS ANNOUNCES WORLD-FIRST COMBINED SENSOR FOR SMART TIRES
- What is the primary purpose of the MLX91805 sensor?
To help OEMs prepare for mandatory tire-pressure monitoring extensions for commercial vehicles and enable future smart tires. - How does the MLX91805 differ from current TPMS sensors?
It is designed to be embedded directly in the tire rather than mounted on the rim. - What specific data can the sensor capture regarding vehicle behavior?
It captures information directly from the road interface, including loading data to extend tire life and boost fuel economy. - Can this sensor be used for both heavy-duty and passenger cars?
Yes, it is suited for tires used in commercial vehicles including heavy-duty models as well as passenger cars. - What components are integrated inside the MLX91805 chip?
It includes an 800g XZ-axis accelerometer, high-accuracy pressure sensor, temperature sensor, voltage sensor, microcontroller, and RF transmitter. - Does the sensor support compliance with new EU regulations?
Yes, its multiple sensors help ensure compliance with new EU regulations on tire-pressure monitoring for heavy-duty commercial vehicles intended for 2022-2024. - How does the device achieve such low power consumption?
It features a sleep current of just 90nA and draws only 5mA at 5dBm output power during transmission. - What role does the math coprocessor play in the sensor?
It allows for fast and energy-efficient Digital Signal Processing to handle signals like those from the tire footprint area.
