Atmel introduces AVR microcontrollers for automotive motor control applications

Atmel(R) Corporation recently announced the availability of a new family of AVR(R) 8-bit microcontrollers dedicated to automotive motor control applications.

The ATmega16M1 and ATmega32M1 are the first devices developed for the control of sensor and sensorless brushless DC (BLDC) motors for automotive applications.

With an increasing number of motors inside a car, automotive manufacturers need smaller and lighter motors with higher torque than brush motors, states the company. They are now moving to BLDC motors that require more sophisticated electronic devices to precisely control speed and torque. This brings new challenges; among them is high temperature — 150 degrees Celsius — for some applications under the hood.

The ATmega16M1 and ATmega32M1 have been developed to serve that need and provide an integrated solution for advanced motor control applications with CAN and LIN connectivity. Along with the collaboration with Vector, a complete hardware and software networking solution is available, the company adds.

Window lift motor with anti-pinch is a good example of the requirement. Breaking assistance, steering wheel assistance, ventilation, cooling and sliding doors are other examples. Finally, a new category on its own is the admission control and turbo charger control for which the motor and possibly its controller is exposed to elevated temperature over the standard 125 degrees Celsius (typically 150 degrees).

Based on the high performance AVR 8-bit RISC architecture, the ATmega16M1 and ATmega32M1 integrate all of the basic peripherals necessary to satisfy the needs of complex algorithms. The devices integrate analog blocks like 10-bit ADC, with differential amplifiers and programmable gain options, analog comparators with selectable comparison levels and interrupt on pin change I/Os. The microcontrollers provide all necessary resources to control BLDC motors in their system environments.

ATmega16M1 and ATmega32M1 offer a unique feature combination to safely and securely run any brushless DC motor via the appropriate driver and power elements. Effective power stage controller and integrated analog functions generate a limited number of interrupts, reducing the code size and improving the real-time behavior of the applications.

Vector CAN and LIN Drivers — "One of the critical requirements for using embedded processors in the automotive market is the availability of an effective and well-supported communication stack on CAN and LIN," says Michel Passemard, automotive tactical marketing director of Atmel's Microcontroller Business Unit. "The availability of the Vector CAN & LIN drivers for the ATmega16/32M1 processor paves the way for a much broader use of Atmel's solutions in the automotive market."

For more information, visit www.atmel.com/products/automcu/.