STMicro and YTO set up joint lab for smart agricultural equipment

The lab will be based out of YTO’s Research Institute of Intelligence and Information in Luoyang, Henan province. The rapid development of automated control technologies, together with local and global emission regulations for off-road diesel engines, are driving the penetration of electronic control systems in tractors. YTO and ST are therefore bringing together their know-how to address the government requirements and industry needs. YTO’s Research Institute of Intelligence and Information specialises in electronic control systems for three main agricultural-machinery applications; namely tractors, harvesters, and agricultural equipment. “As the first producer of tractors, road rollers, and cross-country trucks in China, YTO has a long history of success as a leading provider of agricultural equipment,” says Lei Jun, Assistant Director of YTO’s Research Institute of Intelligence and Information, in a press release. “This cooperation combines ST’s cutting-edge technologies and application-specific ICs with our solutions, to continue to innovate and to ensure outstanding quality and performance.” ST is set to provide the joint lab with its latest automotive-semiconductor technology and solutions, including SPC5x 32-bit microcontrollers and Smart Power ICs such as motor-control, power-supply, and general-purpose high- and low-side actuation drivers. “With the increasing penetration of electronic control systems in agricultural applications and the development of China’s emission standards for off-road diesel engines, cooperation across the supply chain is a necessity,” adds MH TEY, Greater China, South Asia and Korea Head of Automotive Marketing and Application, STMicroelectronics.