Vincotech extends its portfolio of GPS receiver modules by a variant specifically designed and manufactured to address requirements in the automotive industry. The major feature of the A1088-A is the sole use of AEC-Q compliant components. AEC-Q stands for Automotive Electronic Council, a council founded by the automotive industry defining stringent standards for the qualification of electronic components. The module besed on the SiRFstarIII GPS chip set in combination with the navigation firmware which calculates and puts out the GPS data.

The module is completely shielded. It is designed for use with active antennas thus reaching an acquisition sensitivity of -145dBm. A good operating environment allows “cold start” conditions to calculate a first position within less than 35s (TTFF – time to first fix). In tracking mode the sensitivity goes down to -159dBm. Here the current draw is typically 32mA at 3.3V. The module features additional low power modes where the current draw can be reduced to 10µA. The A1088-A is specified for the complete industrial temperature range from -40°C to +85°C. The outer dimensions are 19mm x 28mm with the solder pads on the rim of the module. Accompanying evaluation boards are available.