STMicroelectronics launches first automotive-grade inertial measurement unit with machine learning core

June 9, 2022, China - STMicroelectronics has released a new automotive-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) ASM330LHHX with integrated machine learning (ML) core, bringing smart driving one step closer to highly automated driving. The ML core enables fast real-time response and complex functions while reducing system power requirements.

The ASM330LHHX automotive IMU uses STMicroelectronics’ microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to integrate a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope in a 2.5 mm x 3 mm x 0.83 mm package. This six-axis sensing module provides motion and attitude sensing data for systems such as vehicle positioning and electronic stability.

The ML core is a hard-wired processing engine connected by circuits that can run AI algorithms directly on sensors, ensuring that the time delay from sensing events to vehicle responses is short, enabling complex real-time performance, while requiring much less system power and computing power than embedded in application processors or cloud-based AI solutions. STMicroelectronics provides demonstration boards and free software example libraries to help developers simplify application development. Application scenarios include vehicle stationary detection, attitude and heading reference, height estimation, trailer detection, and collision detection.

The ASM330LHHX has two operating modes: low power and high performance. The low power mode is mainly used to run continuously working application systems, including telematics, anti-theft systems, motion activation functions, and impact detection compensation. In low power mode, the accelerometer and gyroscope run simultaneously, and the operating current is less than 800µA . The high performance mode is suitable for applications with high requirements for measurement accuracy and response latency, including precise positioning, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, and impact detection and collision reconstruction.

ST's mature MEMS manufacturing process ensures excellent stability and low noise, which is reflected in the low Allan variance (AVAR) measurements of the gyroscope and accelerometer. The module 's measurement accuracy remains consistent over the operating temperature range of -40°C to 105°C .

The ASM330LHHX is AEC-Q100 automotive qualified and is in production now in a 14-pin land grid array (LGA-14L) package.