November 6, 2014, Seoul – STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company contributing to customers across a wide range of electronic applications and the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for consumer, mobile[1], and automotive applications[2], has launched the industry's smallest 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), the ASM330LXH, which is certified for automotive applications with low noise and improved output resolution.

The ultra-compact ASM330LXH is ideal for in-vehicle navigation systems requiring accurate and reliable inertial sensors capable of optimizing position and orientation even when GNSS signals are weak. Areas where direct satellite visibility may be obstructed, such as urban centers, tunnels, and garages, frequently experience weak or interference with satellite signals. Multi-axis gyroscopes and accelerometers like the 6-axis ASM330LXH power sophisticated Dead Reckoning (DR) software algorithms that calculate the current position by receiving updates based on changes in time, acceleration, and orientation from the previous location. It is also suitable for onboard devices for electronic toll collection and other automotive telematics systems.

"ST Group Vice President and Head of Custom MEMS Business, Anton Hofmeister, said, 'ST established an 8-inch MEMS process line in 2006 and launched the world's first automotive-certified 3-axis MEMS gyroscope for non-safety applications in 2012, and now we have further solidified our leading position in the market by launching a 6-axis IMU that is compact, accurate, and reliable.'"

According to IHS, the automotive MEMS device market grew by 13% last year, showing that the growth rate of sensor usage is increasing faster than the growth rate of passenger cars.