Toshiba Corporation announced the launch of "TB9057FG", a brushed motor pre-driver IC enhanced to achieve functional safety and for use in electric power steering systems (EPS).

Toshiba has already started shipping the samples this month and mass production is scheduled to start in November, 2016.

The new IC integrates key main functions, such as a pre-driver circuit, motor current detection circuit, and motor direction detection circuit, as well as various failure detection circuits. Functions including motor current detection circuit, power supply PIN, and GND PIN are made redundant to secure higher functional safety.

Toshiba has also carried out a range of functional safety analyses to simulate various system failures and will provide customers with documentation to support safety analysis and design.

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