ON Semiconductor has been supplying mixed signal integrated circuits for automotive lighting
systems for over a decade. High-volume products include lamp-failure detection, contact-less
sensor interfaces, HID (High Intensity Discharge) ballast drivers and stepper motor drivers.
Modern automotive headlamp systems will rely heavily on the use of sensors and actuators in the near future. These remote sensors and actuators are connected to an electronic control unit via a bus network. Various types of bus networks are feasible. This paper will concentrate on the cost and performance advantages when using the LIN (Local Interconnect Network) bus network in a headlamp application. Various solutions will be presented providing insight into the different LIN bus architectures available. The integration of a stepper motor driver with LIN interface is demonstrated as an example. In conclusion, the LIN bus provides superior performance when combined with the appropriate system architecture for cost sensitive applications.