STMicroelectronics Launches Four-Channel High-Side Driver for Cold Crank Voltage Fluctuations
Published2026.03.04 11:09
Minimum 4V operation, low-voltage conditions down to 2.7V are considered… LV124 compliance mentioned
Automotive electrical systems require stable power supply and circuit protection in environments with rapid voltage fluctuations, such as cold cranking, where voltage drops sharply during startup. STMicroelectronics announced the release of an automotive high-side driver designed for these conditions.
ST unveiled the VNQ9050LAJ, a four-channel high-side driver for automotive applications, in Seoul on March 3. According to a press release, the product supports operation from a minimum of 4 V and is designed to power voltage fluctuations, including cold cranking down to 2.7 V.
The company stated that the VNQ9050LAJ meets the LV124 standard, which defines automotive electrical and electronic component quality standards, based on its tolerance to extreme voltage fluctuations. It is also designed to power 12V ground-connected loads and is compatible with 3V and 5V logic signals.
Technically, it is implemented based on ST's VIPower-M09 and is said to provide a low on-resistance of 50mΩ under normal conditions. For load protection and diagnosis, the load current is detected using an on-chip current mirror circuit and sense FET, and the load status is monitored by converting the voltage to a resistor connected to an external pin.
The press release stated that current-sensing-based diagnostics support overload and short-to-ground or power-limit warnings, overtemperature shutdown indication, output short-to-VCC detection, and off-state open-load detection. The release added that the sense-enable pin allows multiple devices to share an external sense resistor, which also helps reduce bill-of-materials (BOM).
Protection features include overvoltage clamping and thermal transient limiting, and a dedicated fault reset pin allows for configuration of a latch-off function that activates in the event of power limiting or overtemperature. ESD protection, loss of ground and VCC protection, and reverse battery polarity protection are also provided, the company said.
The product is available in the Power-SSO16 package and is currently in production. ST states that pricing starts at $1.09 for orders of 1,000 units.
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