In India, The Major Markets Are Two Wheelers And Passenger Vehicles

The rapid expansion of the automotive industry is inducing high demand for pressure sensors, which in turn is driving the expansion of the global pressure sensors market. Getting alongside with the giants in this business, Niloy Banerjee, Consultant Editor held the steering with Girish Kamala, Director & Country Head for Automotive Sales, Infineon to yield the potential of Pressure Sensor technology & market and Infineon’s leading solutions influencing this technology and applications. Edited Nub. 

What are the current technologies evolving in the Pressure Sensor Market?

Capacitive MEMS Technology – MEMS Capacitive Pressure Sensor has recently gained more advantage over micro-machined piezo resistive pressure sensor due to higher sensitivity, low power consumption, lower dependence from temperature effects and IC compatibility.

The spectrum of capacitive pressure sensor application is increasing, hence it is essential to review the path of technological development and further prospective of micro-machined capacitive pressure sensor.

What are the major types of Pressure Sensors in the market and their applications and your key focus?

Pressure sensors are classified in terms of pressure range they measure, operating temperature, and most importantly, the type of pressure they measure. Pressure sensors are named according to their purpose or application. The same technology may be used under different names.

Absolute pressure sensor – This sensor measures the pressure relative to perfect vacuum.

Gauge pressure sensor – This sensor measures the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure.

Vacuum pressure sensor – It is a sensor that measures absolute pressure relative to a vacuum.

Differential pressure sensor – This sensor measures the difference between two pressures, one connected to each side of the sensor. Differential pressure sensors are used to measure many properties, such as pressure drops across oil filters or air filters, fluid levels or flow rates.

Sealed pressure sensor – This sensor is similar to a gauge pressure sensor except that it measures pressure relative to some fixed pressure rather than the ambient atmospheric pressure.

Various pressure sensors i.e. MAP, BAP, TPMS and SAB are used in various automotive applications in engines, exhaust systems, tire pressure monitoring and pedestrian safety to name a few.

MAP sensor- For lower emission, better combustion and increased efficiency

The manifold air pressure (MAP) is an important parameter to compute the air- fuel ratio provided to the engine for lower emission due to better combustion and increased efficiency. For cost sensitive engine systems, a MAP sensor shows the potential to complement or even substitute mass air flow (MAF) sensors. In addition manifold pressure data can be used to compute diagnostics of leakages and malfunctions of the exhaust gas recirculation valve.

BAP sensor- Precise and fully integrated sensor

The barometric air pressure (BAP) is an important parameter to compute the air-fuel ratio provided to the engine and for controlling spark advance to optimize engine efficiency.

TPMS – Helps to boost car safety levels by warning drivers of any loss in tire pressure

The tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) not only provides safety features but  also supports energy efficiency, as a vehicle with tires that are not properly inflated consume more fuel and results in higher tire wear. Pressure-related downtime is a significant cost factor for operators of commercial vehicles. We offer TPMS sensors covering all tire pressure ranges, making us a leading provider of these safety-critical components for automotive system suppliers.

SAB – Our safety pressure sensors make cars safer

Every year thousands of pedestrians are severely injured in traffic due to slow or failing sensing elements. Infineon´s safety pressure sensor family support new safety systems that increase the protection of pedestrians and car occupants in the event of a collision. Infineon safety pressure sensors deliver a reliable signal with benchmark reaction time in the industry. Even though only 2 sensors are needed, the exact impact position over the complete front side can be calculated granting reduced system cost.

Report says, high cost and complexities related to the installation and maintenance of these sensors are restraining the growth of the global Pressure Sensors market during the assessment period. What is your take on it?

We see a trend for down-sizing engines as this helps to increase fuel-efficiency and to decrease emissions. Pressure sensors help achieve this downsizing without compromising on comfort/performance. That is why the total pressure sensor market for combustion engine vehicles shows a higher growth than the total combustion engine vehicle market itself (more pressure sensors per car). These pressure sensors are usually fully automotive qualified and run with very low DPM rates according to automotive requirements i.e. installation and maintenance are not seen as different to other sensor classes (e.g. magnetic sensor, inertia sensor).

Considering specifically India, how is Pressure Sensors market shaping in India?

In India, the major markets are two wheelers and passenger vehicles. Due to BS6 emission regulation from April 2020, demand for Electronic fuel injection will grow, leading to the growth in demand of MAP pressure sensor in the future. TPMS will increase the life of tire from wear and tear and also improve fuel efficiency due to proper air pressure in tire.

Lastly, your flagship product-line in this sector?

TPMS – SP37 / SP40 – This IC helps to boost car safety levels by warning drivers of any loss in tire pressure. Furthermore, these important safety features also support energy efficiency, as a car with tires that are not properly inflated consumes more fuel and the tires wear down more quickly. Pressure-related downtime is a significant cost factor for operators of commercial vehicles. We offer TPMS sensors covering all tire pressure ranges, making us a leading provider of these safety-critical components for automotive system suppliers.

MAP – The KP215F1701 is a miniaturized Analog Manifold Air Pressure Sensor IC based on a capacitive principle. It is surface micro-machined with a monolithic integrated signal conditioning circuit implemented in BiCMOS technology. The sensor converts a pressure into an analog output signal. The calibrated transfer function converts a pressure of 10 kPa to 115 kPa into a voltage range of 0.4 V to 4.65 V. The chip is packaged in a “green” SMD housing. The sensor has been primarily developed for measuring manifold air pressure, but can also be used in other application fields. The high accuracy and the high sensitivity of the device makes it a perfect fit for advanced automotive applications as well as in industrial and consumer applications.

BAP – The KP236N6165 is a miniaturized Analog Barometric Air Pressure Sensor IC based on a capacitive principle. It is surface micro-machined with a monolithic integrated signal conditioning circuit implemented in BiCMOS technology. The sensor converts a pressure into an analog output signal. The calibrated transfer function converts a pressure range of 60 kPa to 165 kPa into a voltage range of 0.2 V to 4.8 V. The chip is packaged in a “green” SMD housing. The sensor has been primarily developed for measuring barometric air pressure, but can also be used in other application fields. The high accuracy and high sensitivity of the device makes it a perfect fit for advanced automotive applications as well as in industrial and consumer applications.