With the number of hybrid and electric vehicles that silently operate on motor power continuing to increase there is a need for AVAS regulations to be enacted that require a warning sound to alert pedestrians of their approach
When generating a warning sound using an MCU, however, the pitch and volume must be smoothly controlled, and its characteristics adjusted to match the vehicle geometry. This increases MCU software development load requiring verification with other software processes inside the MCU.
LAPIS Technology has responded to this with the release of new products that contribute to reducing the burden of AVAS development by leveraging experience and technology with speech synthesis ICs, with the aim of developing a high-fidelity sound using a novel hardware-based configuration.
The ML22120TB and the ML22120GP integrate hardware functions that include a warning sound generator, fader, and equaliser. Unlike MCU-based designs, the hardware configuration eliminates the need for software validation, so it significantly reduces development time.
At the same time, however, dedicated GUI software makes it easy to comply with regulations for volume and frequency characteristics required for AVAS.
The system of new ICs can be controlled by simple commands, allowing a warning sound to be started in less than one-tenth the time of conventional MCU-generated systems. An included fault detection function can also detect both erroneous communication with the main controller and erroneous oscillation caused by external components – contributing to vehicle reliability.
An evaluation board along with a Sound Device Control Kit [SDCK3] that includes dedicated GUI software are available, enabling easy evaluation of everything from sound generation to correction and trial listening of alert sounds.
