Melexis has released the MLX81350, a fourth-generation automotive LIN motor driver that delivers up to 5 W (0.5 A) per motor. Designed for air conditioning flaps and automated air vents in electric vehicles (EVs), the MLX81350 supports low-noise, energy-efficient motor control and facilitates easier system integration while meeting automotive reliability requirements.
Accurate control of cabin airflow and temperature has become more important in modern vehicles, particularly electric models, to maintain passenger comfort, improve energy use and enable effective thermal management.
To address these requirements, vehicles often include additional air conditioning flap motors and electronic air vents. Engineers designing these systems must meet multiple technical requirements, including reliable operation, simplified integration and low-noise motor performance, while managing overall system costs.
The MLX81350 addresses these requirements by combining performance, integration capability and cost efficiency. This fourth-generation integrated circuit (IC) is a 0.5 A smart LIN motor driver built on high-voltage silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. It includes flash programmability, durable design, and high functional density while helping to reduce bill-of-materials (BoM) complexity. By integrating analog and digital circuitry, it functions as a single-chip solution compliant with LIN 2.x/SAE J2602 and ISO 17987-4 standards for LIN slave nodes.
The MLX81350 features an updated software architecture designed to improve performance and efficiency compared with the previous generation. The update includes enhanced stall detection and sensor-less, closed-loop Field-Oriented Control (FOC), which support stable motor operation, reduced current consumption and lower noise levels for use in automotive HVAC and thermal management systems.
The MLX81350 is pin-to-pin compatible with previous models, enabling engineers to update existing designs with limited redesign effort. Its LIN interface supports communication within vehicle networks, and built-in protection and diagnostic features (such as over-current, over-voltage, and temperature shutdown) help ensure safe operation in automotive environments.
The IC includes a range of peripherals for motor control and system integration, including a configurable RC clock (24 to 40 MHz), four general-purpose I/Os (digital and analog), one high-voltage input, UART, SPI and I²C master or slave interfaces, five 16-bit motor PWM timers, two 16-bit general timers and a 13-bit ADC with less than 1.2 µs conversion time across multiple channels.
The IC is designed according to ASIL B (ISO 26262) and offers flexible wake-up options via LIN, external pins, or an internal wake-up timer. It features low standby current consumption (typ. 25 µA, max. 50 µA) for energy-efficient operation and internal voltage regulators allow direct powering from the 12-V battery, supporting an operating voltage range of 5.5 to 28 V.
The MLX81350 combines protection features, integrated design, and motor control functions to offer engineers a practical, cost-efficient option for controlling air conditioning flaps and electronic vents in EVs.
Filed Under: LIN, Technology News