Automotive high-side driver withstands cold crank

ST’s VNQ9050LAJ 4-channel high-side driver controls 12-V automotive ground-connected loads via a 3-V and 5-V CMOS-compatible interface. Operating from 4-V to 28-V with typical R_DS(on) as low as 50 mΩ per channel, the device remains active during cold-crank events until the supply falls to the 2.7-V (max) undervoltage shutdown threshold. This performance supports compliance with LV124 (Rev. 2013) requirements for low-voltage operation and automotive transients.

Based on ST’s VIPower-M09 technology, the driver protects resistive, capacitive, and inductive loads. Integrated current sensing uses an on-chip current mirror with a sense FET that tracks the main power FET, enabling accurate load monitoring. The sensed current is available at an external pin, where a resistor converts it to a proportional voltage for continuous diagnostics and fault detection.

The VNQ9050LAJ offers robust protection and diagnostics for 12‑V automotive loads. It features integrated current sensing for overload, short-circuit, and open-load detection. The driver also includes overvoltage clamping, thermal-transient limiting, and configurable latch-off for overtemperature or power limitation, with a dedicated fault-reset pin. Additional protections—such as electrostatic discharge, loss-of-ground, loss-of-V_CC, and reverse-battery—ensure reliable operation under extreme conditions.

The VNQ9050LAJ is in production in a thermally enhanced Power-SSO16 package, priced from $1.09 each for 1000-piece orders.

VNQ9050LAJ product page 

STMicroelectronics

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