The MLX90382 is ideal for applications where safety is paramount, such as automotive motor control systems, including power steering, brake assist, and active suspension. As the automotive industry continues its transition from mechanical and analog feedback systems to fully electronic and digital control systems, the demand for encoders that combine accuracy, safety, and robust diagnostics is growing. High-speed digital feedback plays a critical role in ensuring the proper operation and availability of motor-driven systems, such as steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and active suspension.
By replacing analog interfaces with digital protocols, designers can reduce wiring complexity and weight while enabling faster and more comprehensive on-board diagnostics (OBD). The MLX90382 is designed to meet the industry's shift toward x-by-wire and other fully digital feedback architectures while maintaining the high reliability and cost-effectiveness expected by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive sector. It combines a Hall-effect magnetic front-end, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a zero-latency on-chip digital signal processor (DSP), and multiple output options. The IC leverages Melexis' latest Triaxis technology, detecting the three components of magnetic flux density (Bx, By, and Bz) and measuring the differential magnetic field on the Z-axis to track absolute angular position and velocity with high accuracy.
With speeds up to 200,000 e-rpm and a 360° SFI of up to 4 kA/m, the device ensures reliable operation even in demanding automotive environments, such as electric vehicles (EVs). To support different system architectures, the MLX90382 offers both on-shaft and off-shaft mounting, enabling its use in hollow-shaft applications where wiring harnesses or components must pass through the shaft without compromising encoder performance. The device output supports ABI, UVW, PWM, SPI, and SSI interfaces, making it suitable for a wide range of automotive motor control systems. The device is available in two packages: QFN24 (single die) and TSSOP16 (dual die), compatible with 5 V and 3.3 V applications. Automotive-grade robustness is guaranteed by AEC-Q100 (Grade 0) certification. With an operating temperature range from -40 °C to 150 °C, the device meets the requirements of demanding electronic chassis and comfort applications.
Since functional safety is a key element in electronic chassis applications, the product has been developed in accordance with ISO 26262:2018 and is compatible with the integration of ASIL D systems in its dual-chip variant.
“Automakers are rapidly moving to fully digital feedback systems to enable x-by-wire architectures and meet the growing demands for safety and availability. As part of our expanding portfolio of magnetic position sensors, the new MLX90382 addresses the needs of steering, braking, and suspension systems,” said Klaus Wilczek, Global Direct Marketing Manager at Melexis.
He added, “This latest variant brings these advantages to automotive engineers seeking secure digital protocols, improved on-board diagnostics, and robust, simple designs with dispersed fields, and there are still more innovations to come.” The MLX90382 automotive variant is available now.
