Micronas wins PACE Award (0103)

Hall sensors from German chip manufacturer selected as best European product in 2001

DETROIT (Michigan), USA - March 7, 2001 - At the 7th annual Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contributions to Excellence (PACE) Award ceremony in Detroit Monday night, Micronas GmbH from Freiburg, Germany was presented the PACE Award for best European product for its Linear Hall-effect sensors.

Automotive News and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young presented the 2001 PACE awards to automotive suppliers for showing spirit of creativity through their products, management practices, environmental advances, information technology and other enduring innovations. The 12 winners in seven categories were selected from 36 finalists by a panel of high-profile independent judges.

Micronas has created programmable magnetic position sensors that use the Hall effect to replace mechanical position sensors. Because the sensor is a non-contact, solid-state device, it can survive harsh environments anywhere within the vehicle. Micro sensors that report precise positioning information back to a vehicle's central computer are a vital part of emerging mechatronic systems for cars and trucks.

In the Hall effect, a current passing through a magnetic field produces a specific voltage, called the Hall Voltage. Using this effect, Micronas sensors can translate the magnetic field information in a variety of applications such as gas pedal position, fuel level, transmission stick position and ride height and synthesize the information with memory and computing power at the sensor itself. The vehicle's computer can then call to the intelligent sensor at logical times for stored and real-time data to use in overall car control systems.

"To have been recognized as an exceptional innovator in the American automotive industry reinforces the strong commitment Micronas has made to this market" said Ronald Gampp, marketing manager sensors at Micronas."And our development team is already making more advancements that will continue to improve automotive performance in the coming years"
For more information on the 2001 PACE Awards winners, visit Automotive News Online at: http://www.autonews.com/html/main/pacee/pacewin.htm