Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has launched a new series of automotive-grade hard disk drives (HDDs) to meet the increasingly demanding storage needs of the automotive sector. The MQ01AAD032C is the flagship model and houses 320GB[1] of storage in a 2.5 inch (6.4cm) HDD casing. The MQ01AADxxxC range also consists of the MQ01AAD020C (200GB) and the MQ01AAD010C (100GB) HDDs.

The MQ01AADxxxC series has been designed to cope with the most difficult environments, such as altitudes of up to 5,650m (higher than any city in the world), and tolerate vibrations of up to 3G (29.4m/s2) in magnitude. In addition, they have an operating temperature range of -30°C to +85°C and a non-operating temperature range of -40°C to +95°C. The MQ01AADxxxC series is also suitable for industrial applications where extended temperature tolerance is critical.

The drives run at 4,200rpm and offer silent seek operation so the driver can’t hear the drives operating. A closed loop servo control system enables a linear recording density of 62.6k bit/mm {1.59M BPI} – the highest for automotive-grade HDDs. Fitted with a 3Gbit/s SATA interface, the MQ01AADxxxC drives boast a 28% improvement in internal data transfer rates which now reach 976Mbit/s.

Embedded navigation and entertainment systems, on-board satellite navigation systems and automotive self-diagnostic systems are now key differentiators for consumers. Some vehicles now have the ability to download apps to enable console customization, and for smartphones and tablets interact directly with the vehicle’s systems to enhance the in-car experience.

By 2016, over 55 million people worldwide will have Internet access built in to their vehicles, according to iSuppli Corp. As of June 2013, Toshiba’s cumulative shipment of automotive-grade HDDs surpassed 28 million, enabling the company to maintain its position as the leading supplier of automotive-grade HDDs.

“Cars are increasingly forming a key part of our connected ecosystem so it’s essential they have the capacity to store all the data consumers want and need,” said Martin Larsson, Vice President, Toshiba Electronics Europe. “Toshiba has been a pioneer in the development of automotive storage and will continue to lead the charge by providing innovative storage solutions that enable ever more integrated infotainment systems.”

Sample shipment is due to start in July, with mass production scheduled for August 2013.

For more information please visit our Toshiba storage website at www.storage.toshiba.eu.