Ford Taurus 2000 Models Feature Analog Devices' Advanced Airbag Sensors
17 February 2000
Ford Taurus 2000 Models Feature Analog Devices' Advanced Airbag Sensors
NORWOOD, Mass., Feb. 17 -- Analog Devices, Inc. today
announced that its advanced micromachined accelerometer sensors are used in
Ford Motor Company's model year 2000 Taurus airbag system. In a
related announcement, the Ford Taurus has earned the federal government's
highest possible rating for frontal crash performance for the second year in a
row. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded its
five-star rating for both the driver and passenger positions based on agency
testing. ADI's sensors are integrated into a complete safety system developed
by Ford called the Advanced Personal Safety System. Ford's advanced restraint
system employs sophisticated new technology, including ADI's ADXL family of
accelerometers, to help reduce injuries from inflating air bags. ADI supplies
its sensors to Visteon Automotive Systems for use in Ford's new system.
Accelerometers located in the passenger compartment sense the G force of
an impact and produce a signal that is proportional to the force, while a
satellite sensor module in the front end detects crash severity. Other sensors
measure the distance from the driver to the steering wheel and other
variables, and at what level to deploy the 2-stage airbag.
"Our ability to bring this kind of technology to the mass market through a
partnership with an industry leader like Ford shows that we are committed to
providing the most advanced air bag technology in the industry," said Frank
Weigold, vice president and general manager, Micromachined Products Division,
Analog Devices. "This technology illustrates how Analog Devices is able to
work with leaders in the auto industry to build products that are making
driving safer."
About Analog Devices' Micromachined Products
With more than 30 years of signal processing expertise to draw upon,
Analog Devices is meeting the growing demand for MEMS through the development
of its proprietary iMEMS(R) micromachining technology, which allows the
single-chip integration of both the mechanical sensor and the associated
signal-conditioning circuitry. A pioneer in the micromachined integrated
circuit industry, Analog Devices produced the industry's first fully
integrated, single-chip micromachined accelerometer in 1991. Since then,
Analog Devices remains the industry's only high-volume producer of single-chip
IC micromachined accelerometers. For more information visit
http://www.analog.com/imems.
About Analog Devices
With fiscal 1999 sales of $1.45 billion, Analog Devices is a
leading manufacturer of precision high-performance integrated circuits used in
analog and digital signal processing applications. Headquartered in Norwood,
Massachusetts, the company employs approximately 7,400 people worldwide and
has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, California, North Carolina,
Ireland, the Philippines and Taiwan. Analog Devices' stock is listed on the
New York Stock Exchange and the company is included in the S&P 500 Index.
iMEMS is a registered trademark of Analog Devices, Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
YOUR READERS SHOULD CONTACT:
Analog Devices, Inc.
Micromachined Products Division
21 Osborn Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617-761-7436
Fax: 617-761-7607