- 27 September 2006 -

DENSO Develops New Advanced Products for Lexus LS460

Increasing use of III-V-based opto- and micro-electronics components in vehicles is delivering major improvements to safety, convenience and comfort. An example is the new Lexus LS460, launched in Japan. It features new advanced products - such as mm-wave radar - developed by DENSO Corporation in the areas of environment, safety, comfort and convenience.

"DENSO's goal is to develop new technologies to meet customer's needs and achieve an advanced automotive society where people, cars and environment co-exist in harmony," said Oyuki Ogawa, executive vice president, Engineering Research & Development Center and Thermal Systems Business Group. "We are pleased to introduce our innovative technologies to the world."



Safety Systems

In the area of safety, DENSO has developed the following four components for Toyota's new PCS system installed on the Lexus LS460 in Japan and Europe:

• Stereo Image-Processing Electronic Control Unit (ECU) - Developed with Toyota and NEC Electric Corporation, this ECU rapidly processes image signals received from a stereo camera that photographs obstacles appearing in front of the vehicle.
• Driving Assistance ECU - This ECU, developed with Toyota, controls all operations of the PCS system, based on information from the stereo image-processing ECU, and from the front and rear millimetre-wave radar. This ECU also controls the radar cruise control system at all speeds and the lane-keeping assist system.
• Front Millimetre-Wave Radar - Detects obstacles that appear in front of the vehicle and relays that information to the driving assistance ECU. For the new PCS system, DENSO has improved the radar's detecting capability for close distances by also revising the millimetre-wave modulation method for the front millimetre-wave radar.



HVAC Sensor

In the area of comfort, DENSO has developed a new air conditioning system that can provide more comfortably conditioned air to passengers seated not only in front seats, but also in rear seats.

Four components were newly developed for this system: the world's first matrix infrared (IR) sensor that detects the surface temperature distribution inside the vehicle cabin; the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit for the front air conditioner; the cooling unit for the rear air conditioner, and an oxygen concentration conditioner.

Smart Keys

In the area of convenience, DENSO has developed a new card key, the world's thinnest, for DENSO's smart entry and start system. DENSO achieved this world's first by insert-moulding the circuit board with resin, resulting in a thinness of only 3.35 mm. This card key also features the world's highest-level bending strength, and the world's first totally waterproof circuit part. Accordingly, the card key can be easily stored in a wallet or card case, and maintains high resistance to bending, breaking and water invasion.

Instrument Cluster

DENSO's new instrument cluster with the TFT display provides a variety of information for easy driver recognition as well as improved environmental features. For the TFT display, DENSO developed a new backlight unit using a high-luminance, LED. It is the first in the world to use the LED for an instrument cluster's TFT display. Compared to a conventional backlight unit, which uses cold cathode fluorescent lamps, the newly developed backlight unit does not contain mercury, an environmentally hazardous substance, and reduces power consumption by approximately 20%, contributing to less fuel consumption.

Better power control

With so much more electronics inside the vehicle, electrical power control has become even more important. DENSO together with Toyota Motor Corporation, has developed a new power supply management electric control unit (ECU) for the Lexus LS460.
"In recent years, vehicles require more electric power due to various safety and information systems," said Mineo Hanai, senior managing director, responsible for Electric Systems Business Group. "In response to the growing need for more electric power, we developed the new power supply management ECU".

The ECU calculates the battery charge rate and internal resistance using battery voltage and current. When the battery charge rate is low, the ECU increases the alternator's adjustment voltage for generating electricity or raises the engine revolutions during idling to stimulate battery charging.

Based on the information about the voltage and internal resistance of the battery, the ECU also determines which system the electric power should be preferentially supplied to when the battery charge rate is low or when the alternator malfunctions. In these situations, the ECU will reduce electric power delivered to such components as the seat heater, for example, in order to ensure enough power for safety systems such as the pre-crash safety system.

www.denso.co.jp/en/newsreleases/060925-01.html