Cloudy outlook for integration

As sensor usage expands, engineers are employing many strategies for integration including fusion.

Solid-state sensors are moving into systems with higher levels of integration, and more system designers are sharing them across multiple systems in what's commonly called sensor fusion. But the next steps for integration remain cloudy, as developers examine trade-offs between costs and flexibility.

The push for more integration comes as sensor usage explodes. Electronic stability control and increasing numbers of airbags are among the safety features that require sensors. In cabins, sensors help control climates and improve air quality.