Aiming to be adopted for an increasingly wide range of brake systems
Alps Alpine has started mass production of the ‘SPVQF Series’, a new model of its two-pole two-position switch series designed for automobile parking brakes with a shipment record of 350 million units over the past ten years. The new product is characterised by its quiet operation and compact size, being approximately half the width of the conventional ‘SPVQC Series.’
Background
In the current in-vehicle market, the operation methods of parking brakes are drastically changing. As the transition from conventional pull handles and pedals to electric parking brakes (EPB) using buttons progresses, the car interior layout is also changing due to the introduction of liquid crystal panels at the centre of the console, leading to an increasing demand for an increasingly wide range of parking brake buttons. Moreover, as electric vehicles become more popular, there is an increasing demand for quiet operations as well. This product has been developed to meet both these needs and customer expectations.
Key features
- The two-pole two-position detection switch ensures reliability by allowing one circuit to compensate when the other one malfunctions. It is suitable for use in components that require extra safety.
- The new circuit structure achieved approx. 50% width reduction compared to the conventional ‘SPVQC Series.’ This contributes to improving the flexibility of layout of interior control buttons.
- Quieter by 5dB compared to the ‘SPVQC Series.’ Designed with consideration for use in electric vehicles with low driving noise.
Future outlook
With the advancement of autonomous driving technology and electric vehicles, the two-pole two-position switch is increasingly being adopted for in-vehicle controls where redundancy and safety are required. The sales target for this product is shipment of one million units per month by March 2028. Alps Alpine will continue to expand its product lineup to meet a wide range of customer demands and provide more added value.
