Philips and Siemens VDO Offer New Sensor System to Improve Fuel Efficiency and Engine Reliability

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Nov. 4, 2003--Royal Philips Electronics today announced a new magnetoresistive sensor that will be launched in vehicles in 2004 for automotive angular measurement applications including electronic throttle control (EGAS) and variable valve timing (VVT), which increases fuel efficiency in the car. Jointly developed by Philips and Siemens VDO Automotive AG, the KMA200 is optimized for the harsh environments of the automotive industry. The sensor will provide car manufacturers with a more reliable and accurate solution for automotive angular measurement - reducing the risk of mechanical breakdowns and thus improving overall vehicle safety.

Today's solutions for angular measurement in applications such as throttle control are prone to failure over time as the mechanical components of the solution are easily prone to wear and tear. Based on the same magnetoresistive technology that has been proven for use in automotive applications such as anti-lock braking systems, the KMA200 was developed by Philips and Siemens VDO to offer a contactless solution for reliable angular measurement. The KMA200 also features a self-monitoring function, allowing it to automatically detect failures in any part of the sensor system and quickly force the vehicle into fail-safe mode.

"We have chosen Philips as partner for this project because of its leadership in magnetoresistive sensor technology," said Dr. Egger of Siemens VDO. "Combining this with Siemens VDO's expertise in powertrain applications, we were able to meet car manufacturers' requirements for a more accurate and reliable solution for angular measurement applications such as throttle control."

"Based on our successful partnership, Philips and Siemens VDO developed the KMA200 to provide a fail-safe solution for angular measurement applications," said Drue Freeman, general manager Global Automotive Marketing & Sales at Philips Semiconductors. "As future applications such as X-by-wire increase reliance on electronics in the car, intelligent devices such as the KMA200 will be vital for overall vehicle reliability and performance."

The KMA200 includes a variable angular range of up to 180 degrees and precision measurement with accuracy better than 0.6 degrees. The high performance is due to the fact that the sensor varies its resistance straight to the direction of the magnetic field, thereby providing a straight measurement of the angle. Other solutions provide an indirect measurement by measuring magnetic field strength, which may vary due to aging and the effects of the high temperatures of automotive systems. The pre-calibrated KMA200 also features 13-bit digital or 2x analog output voltages--which are user configurable to suit the requirements of a number of applications--as well as maximum reverse polarity of 16.5V, an over voltage of up to 32V and a resolution better than 0.1 degrees.

Availability

Samples of the KMA200 are currently available from Philips with mass production starting in Q1 2004. Throttles with the embedded KMA200 are also currently available from Siemens VDO Automotive.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of $30.1 billion (EUR 31.8 billion) in 2002. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, and one-chip TV products. Its 166,500 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, semiconductors, and medical systems. Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges.

News from Philips is located at: www.semiconductors.philips.com