Allegro MicroSystems Acquires Voxtel to Expand Development of LiDAR Technologies

Allegro MicroSystems is a developer and manufacturer of integrated circuits (ICs). The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sanken North America, Inc. 

Among the company’s extensive product portfolio are products ranging from magnetic sensor ICs, direct current (DC)/DC regulators, ClearPower light-emitting diode (LED) Driver Modules, continuous-time switches and latches, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and more. A company looking to expand its sensing and power semiconductor technology, Allegro recently acquired Voxtel, Inc. 

 

Allegro pushes forward the development of technologies that enable safer and more streamlined autonomous driving. Image used courtesy of Allegro MicroSystems

 

Voxtel specializes in leading the development, manufacture, and supply of state-of-the-art photonic and 3D imaging technology. The company focuses on transforming laser ranging, LADAR, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technologies. 

The combination of Voxtel’s laser and imaging expertise along with Allegro’s knowledge of the automotive industry is set to promote the advancement of next-generation ADAS. 

“We are combining Voxtel’s proven LiDAR technology born out of an impressive history in ranging and space applications, with Allegro’s automotive expertise, world-class IC design, proven quality systems, and high-volume manufacturing proficiency,” said Mike Doogue, Senior Vice President of Business Development in a recent news release. “Our OEM and Tier-1 customers will now have access to this advanced technology with Allegro’s assurance of world-class global support and the scale needed to support automotive manufacturing volumes.”

 

Innovative Vehicle Systems

Fully autonomous driving like that seen in Minority Report with A-list star Tom Cruise is no longer a capability of the distant future. LiDAR technologies provide high-resolution, 3D information regarding the surrounding environment. Voxtel’s technology also supports adaptive cruise control, functions in tandem with car cameras and radar to provide greater situational awareness for drivers. 

As a result of Allegro’s acquisition of Voxtel, Allegro has grown its product portfolio to include devices made with silicon and Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs). This enables the provision of eye-safe, long-range 1D or 2D scanned front-facing LiDAR and side- or rear-facing FLASH LiDAR. InGaAs-based devices are more beneficial as they operate at wavelengths (1500 – 1600nm) that the human eye is less sensitive to. This means that higher laser power levels are achievable for longer range object detection above 200 meters.

 

Image courtesy of Voxtel. 

 

“Our experience, scale and design for quality uniquely position us to enhance the Voxtel LiDAR portfolio for ADAS applications, aiming to make LiDAR systems safer, cost-effective, and widely adopted features in the cars of the future,” Allegro CEO Ravi Vig said in the news release.