TOKYO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — July 28, 2014 — Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO:6502) today announced the launch of a brushed motor ^[1] pre-driver IC for automotive applications, TB9052FNG. Sample shipments will start in August, with mass production scheduled to start in March, 2015.

Toshiba: Brushed Motor Pre-Driver IC TB9052FNG for Automotive Applications (Photo: Business Wire)

Safety-critical automotive systems, such as electric power steering (EPS), must meet the requirements of ASIL-D ^[2], the highest automotive safety integrity level prescribed in ISO 26262, “Road Vehicles – Functional Safety.” Toshiba’s new brushed motor pre-driver IC integrates essential functions, including a pre-driver circuit^[3] and motor current detection circuit^[4], plus various failure detection circuits for higher functional safety.

Toshiba has also carried out a range of functional safety analyses to simulate various system failures and will provide customers with documentation to support safety analysis and design.

Key Features of the New Product

1. Built-in motor current detection circuit

Can simplify the system and reduce PCB size.

2. Redundant function for functional safety

Motor current detection circuit with redundant configuration for functional safety.

3. Motor control is selectable

Depending on the system, sequence control or direct control is selectable.

4. Pre-Driver operation is selectable when failure is detected

Control by pre-driver or MCU is selectable, when failure is detected.