EPC Eyes Self-Driving Cars with AEC-Certified Transistor

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has announced that its 15 V EPC2216 gallium nitride transistor is now AEC Q101 certified, which should increase its appeal for car manufacturers. The EPC2216 is designed specifically for LiDAR applications, including time-of-flight (TOF) measurements for self-driving cars.

“This new automotive product joins a rapidly expanding family of EPC transistors and integrated circuits designed to enable autonomous driving and reduce cost in all time-of-flight applications,” said EPC CEO and Co-Founder Alex Lidow.

The EPC2216 was subjected to a range of environmental stress tests to clear the AEC Q101 specifications, surviving a humidity test and an entire series of temperature tests that mimic the rugged conditions of the road. The LiDAR tech will essentially give cars a better view of the road, measuring distance and improving object recognition to make autonomous driving safer for people inside and outside the car.  

Of course, EPC is hardly the only company working to develop better TOF technology for a variety of applications. STMicroelectronics has deployed its TOF sensor for presence detection in PCs, while LG created a new TOF business line earlier this year. EPC claims that its transistor is particularly well suited to self-driving cars because it is able to trigger extremely short pulse widths that allow for superior resolution.

Other applications for EPC’s TOF technology include drone navigation, warehouse automation, security, and facial recognition.