Targeting automotive ADAD and IVI systems. TI announced availability of three new semiconductor devices to improve vehicle safety and autonomy. The portfolio includes a lidar laser driver, bulk acoustic wave (BAW)-based clocks, and a millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar sensor, aimed at advancing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
The new chips address needs in lidar, clocking, and radar systems for automotive applications. The LMH13000 is a single-chip lidar laser driver with a high-speed 800ps rise time, enabling faster and more accurate object detection compared to discrete solutions. The CDC6C-Q1 oscillator and LMK3H0102-Q1 and LMK3C0105-Q1 clock generators use BAW technology, offering 100 times higher reliability than quartz-based clocks. The AWR2944P mmWave radar sensor enhances front and corner radar functions with improved range, angular accuracy, and processing capabilities.
Andreas Schaefer, TI general manager for ADAS and Infotainment, states, “These products support current safety standards and aim to improve vehicle autonomy across various models.”
Lidar Laser Driver Details
Lidar systems create 3D maps of a vehicle’s surroundings to support real-time decision-making. The LMH13000 laser driver achieves a 30% longer detection range than discrete solutions due to its 800ps rise time. It integrates low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), CMOS, and TTL control signals, eliminating the need for external capacitors or circuitry. This reduces system costs by 30% and solution size by four times, allowing compact lidar modules to be mounted in more vehicle locations.
The driver supports up to 5A of adjustable output current with 2% variation across a -40°C to 125°C temperature range, compared to 30% variation in discrete solutions. This stability helps meet Class 1 FDA eye safety standards. A technical article, “Lidar leaps forward: Enabling safer vehicles with precise, long-range detection,” provides further details.
BAW-Based Clocks
ADAS and infotainment systems require reliable electronics under varying temperatures, vibrations, and electromagnetic interference. The CDC6C-Q1 oscillator and LMK3H0102-Q1 and LMK3C0105-Q1 clock generators use BAW technology, achieving a failure-in-time rate of 0.3, compared to quartz-based clocks. These clocks support cleaner data communication and faster processing in automotive subsystems. The LMK3H0102-Q1 supports PCIe Gen 1 to Gen 7 with spread spectrum clocking and can be configured via GPIO or I2C. Additional details are available in the article, “Beyond quartz: How BAW clocks are redefining ADAS and IVI.”
mmWave Radar Sensor
The AWR2944P radar sensor, an extension of the AWR2944 platform, improves front and corner radar performance. It features a better signal-to-noise ratio, increased computational capacity, larger memory, and a hardware accelerator for machine learning tasks. Built with TI’s 45nm RFCMOS process, it includes a 4 TX, 4 RX system, PLL, VCO, mixer, and baseband ADC. The AWR2E44P variant offers a Launch on Package (LOP) antenna feature, allowing direct antenna attachment to reduce signal loss and enable use of lower-cost PCB materials.
The sensor supports short, mid, and long-range modes with dynamic reconfiguration for multimode operation. It includes a C66x DSP for signal processing, an Arm Cortex-R5F processor for control, and a hardware security module in secure variants. Reference designs, software drivers, and documentation are provided.
Availability
Preproduction quantities of the LMH13000, CDC6C-Q1, LMK3H0102-Q1, LMK3C0105-Q1, and AWR2944P are available on TI.com. An automotive-qualified LMH13000 and additional output current options are expected in 2026.
The automotive industry is increasingly adopting lidar, radar, and reliable clocking for ADAS and autonomous driving. In 2024, lidar adoption grew in mid-range vehicles, driven by cost reductions and compact designs. Radar sensors with enhanced AI capabilities are also becoming standard for meeting NCAP and automated driving requirements. BAW technology is gaining traction for its resilience in harsh conditions, supporting applications beyond automotive, such as industrial automation.
These chips may help automakers meet evolving safety and autonomy standards. Ongoing developments in lidar integration, radar algorithms, and clocking precision could further enhance ADAS performance.
