High volume production of silicon sensor microsystems for automotive applications

SensoNor asa is an independent company operating as an OEM-supplier located in Horten, Norway. The business idea is to develop, manufacture and market microsensors, preferably for high volume applications, based on silicon micromechanics technology. The company has a range of some standard products and offers application specific sensors such for mechanical quantities such as pressure and acceleration. Over the past 30 years SensoNor has been in the technological forefront to offer microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) solutions to customers. Over these years a broad technological base has been built up. SensoNor has been able to service the demanding task of introducing MEMS solutions to replace traditional sensors in the filed of avionics and precision metrology. Even more so, significant advances have been made in high volume applications such as automotive and medicine. SensoNor is today the world's largest independent manufacturer of crash sensors for automotive applications and a leading supplier of sensors for medical applications. At date of writing in September 1996, SensoNor has an accumulated production volume of more than 18 million units of the SA20 Crash Sensor, with a market share of approximately 75% in Europe last year for automotive crash sensors for air bag safety systems.