DRV8908-Q1 (DRV8908QPWPRQ1) Datasheet: Automotive Octal Half-Bridge Driver + Buy

The DRV8908-Q1 (orderable part number DRV8908QPWPRQ1) is Texas Instruments’ automotive 8-channel (octal) half-bridge motor driver with SPI control and advanced diagnostics, in a 24-pin HTSSOP. It runs from 4.5 V to 32 V, delivers up to 6 A per channel, and drives brushed-DC or stepper motors in independent, sequential, or parallel modes. It belongs to the pin-compatible DRV89xx-Q1 family that spans 4 to 12 half-bridges. This page covers the datasheet specs, the pinout, the family options, and how to source the AEC-Q100 part.

DRV8908QPWPRQ1 Key Specs at a Glance

• Function: automotive 8-channel (octal) half-bridge motor driver, SPI-controlled
• Supply / current: 4.5 V to 32 V; up to 6 A per channel
• Loads / modes: brushed-DC or stepper; independent, sequential, or parallel; forward/reverse/coast/brake
• Control: 16-bit, 5-MHz SPI with daisy-chain for configuration and diagnostics
• PWM: eight programmable PWM generators for current limiting or LED dimming
• Protection: short-circuit/OCP, UVLO, OVP, over-temperature, nFAULT, open-load detection
• Family / package: pin-compatible DRV89xx-Q1 (4-12 half-bridges); 24-pin HTSSOP; AEC-Q100; TJ -40 to +150 C

What Is the DRV8908-Q1?

The DRV8908-Q1 integrates eight independent half-bridges – each a high-side and low-side FET pair with low on-resistance – into a single automotive-grade chip. A half-bridge can switch one terminal of a load; pair two half-bridges and you have an H-bridge that can drive a brushed-DC motor forward, reverse, coast, or brake. With eight half-bridges, one DRV8908-Q1 can run up to four brushed-DC motors as H-bridges, or control eight independent loads, or move a stepper – all configurable in independent, sequential, or parallel modes.

What makes it practical for automotive body electronics is the control scheme. Instead of a fistful of MCU GPIO and PWM lines plus discrete drivers, the whole device is configured and read back over a 16-bit, 5-MHz SPI bus with daisy-chain support, and eight programmable PWM generators handle current limiting or dimming on-chip. The protection suite – overcurrent and short-circuit, undervoltage and overvoltage lockout (to survive crank and load-dump), over-temperature, and open-load detection – is reported through an nFAULT pin and status registers the MCU can poll.

On the order number: DRV8908 is the 8-half-bridge member, PWP is the HTSSOP package with a PowerPAD, the trailing R is tape-and-reel, and Q1 denotes AEC-Q100 automotive qualification. The pin-compatible siblings are the DRV8904-Q1 (4 half-bridges), DRV8906-Q1 (6), and DRV8912-Q1 (12).

DRV8908QPWPRQ1 Specifications (Datasheet Summary)

Parameter	DRV8908-Q1 (DRV8908QPWPRQ1)
Channels	8 half-bridges (octal)
Supply voltage (VM)	4.5 V to 32 V
Output current	Up to 6 A per channel
Loads	Brushed-DC or stepper motors; independent loads
Drive modes	Independent, sequential, parallel; forward/reverse/coast/brake
Control interface	16-bit, 5-MHz SPI with daisy-chain
PWM generators	8, programmable (current limit / LED dimming)
Diagnostics	nFAULT pin and status registers
Open-load detection	Active, low-current, and passive OLD
Protection	OCP/short-circuit, UVLO, OVP, over-temperature
Qualification	AEC-Q100; TJ -40 C to +150 C; MSL 3
Package	24-pin HTSSOP with PowerPAD (PWP)

DRV8908-Q1 Pinout and Pin Functions (24-Pin HTSSOP)

The pins split into the power stage, the SPI control bus, and supply/diagnostic lines:

Pin / group	Function
VM	Motor power supply (4.5-32 V)
OUT1..OUT8	Eight half-bridge outputs to the loads
CPH / CPL / VCP	Charge-pump capacitor pins for high-side gate drive
VDD	Logic supply
SCLK / SDI / SDO / nSCS	16-bit SPI: clock, data in, data out, chip select
nFAULT	Open-drain fault indication to the host
nSLEEP	Low-power sleep control
GND / PowerPAD	Ground and the thermal PowerPAD (solder to copper)

Half-Bridges, H-Bridges, and How Many Motors You Can Drive

Counting channels trips people up, so it helps to be concrete. Each half-bridge controls one output node between VM and ground. To spin a brushed-DC motor in both directions you need an H-bridge – two half-bridges, one per motor terminal – so eight half-bridges give you four bidirectional DC motors. If a load only needs on/off or single-direction control (a solenoid, a valve, an LED string, a unidirectional fan), one half-bridge drives it, so the same chip can handle up to eight such loads. A stepper uses two H-bridges, so one DRV8908-Q1 can run two steppers.

This is why the part is a fixture in automotive body modules: a single DRV8908-Q1 replaces a cluster of discrete drivers for HVAC air-flap motors, mirror and lock actuators, small pumps, and valves, all coordinated over one SPI bus with fault reporting built in. The honest counterpoint: at 6 A per channel it is a many-small-loads device, not a high-power traction or single-large-motor driver. For one big motor, a dedicated H-bridge or a gate driver with external FETs is the right tool – the DRV8908-Q1 wins on integration and channel count, not peak power.

SPI Daisy-Chain Control and Diagnostics

The 16-bit SPI is more than a configuration port. Its daisy-chain capability lets several DRV89xx-Q1 drivers share one clock and chip-select, so a body-control module driving dozens of motors needs only one SPI bus rather than a dedicated control set per device. Through that bus the host writes half-bridge states and PWM settings and reads back detailed diagnostics – which output faulted, and whether it was a short, an open load, an undervoltage, or an over-temperature event – from the status registers, while the nFAULT pin gives an immediate hardware flag. That observability is a real advantage in automotive systems, where a silently failed actuator becomes a warranty and safety problem; the MCU can detect, log, and react to the exact fault instead of guessing.

DRV8908-Q1 Family (DRV8904 / DRV8906 / DRV8912)

Because the family is pin-compatible, you can scale the channel count to the design without relaying out the board:

Device	Half-bridges	Typical use
DRV8904-Q1	4	Up to 2 BDC motors / 4 loads
DRV8906-Q1	6	Up to 3 BDC motors / 6 loads
DRV8908-Q1	8	Up to 4 BDC motors / 8 loads
DRV8912-Q1	12	Up to 6 BDC motors / 12 loads

DRV8908-Q1 Applications

The DRV8908-Q1 is built for automotive body and comfort electronics: HVAC flap actuation, mirror fold and adjust, door locks, small pumps and valves, and seat or vent motors – anywhere several small DC motors or loads must be driven and diagnosed from one controller. The same multi-channel, diagnostic-rich approach suits industrial actuation as well. These boards are typical industrial PCB and automotive-module work, and our components sourcing team can supply the DRV89xx-Q1 driver with the rest of the BOM.

How to Buy the DRV8908QPWPRQ1 (and Avoid Counterfeits)

Order the DRV8908QPWPRQ1 for the 24-pin HTSSOP on tape-and-reel. Two cautions matter here. First, it is AEC-Q100 automotive, so lot and date-code traceability is mandatory for an automotive BOM. Second, open-market listings flag this exact part at a high counterfeit rate – one component database puts the open-market fake threat near half – so verification is essential, not optional. Buy from traceable channels and let our components sourcing team confirm authenticity. The HTSSOP PowerPAD carries the device’s heat, so plan for SMT assembly with a proper thermal land and X-ray inspection to confirm the pad is soldered without voids – the current rating depends on that joint.

DRV8908-Q1 Design and Assembly Mistakes to Avoid

• A poor thermal pad. The HTSSOP PowerPAD must be soldered to a copper pour with vias; voids choke the thermal path and the channel-current rating – verify by X-ray.
• Skimpy VM decoupling and a missing charge-pump capacitor. Provide bulk plus local bypass on VM and the specified CP cap for high-side drive.
• The wrong parallel-mode enable sequence. Disable the PWM generators first, enable the paralleled half-bridges, then re-enable the PWM generators – otherwise SPI and propagation delay can skew turn-on and trip OCP.
• Leaving SCLK and SDI floating or high in sleep. Drive them low in sleep mode to cut leakage through the internal pull-downs, and wire the SPI daisy-chain correctly.
• Forgetting automotive supply transients. Confirm the UVLO/OVP behavior covers crank-start and load-dump for your rail.
• Ignoring open-load detection setup. Pick the active, low-current, or passive OLD mode that matches your load current and timing.

Frequently Asked Questions About the DRV8908-Q1

How many motors can the DRV8908-Q1 drive?

Its eight half-bridges form up to four H-bridges, so up to four brushed-DC motors bidirectionally, or two stepper motors, or up to eight single-ended loads such as solenoids or LED strings.

What is the difference across the DRV89xx-Q1 family?

Channel count. The DRV8904-Q1 has 4 half-bridges, the DRV8906-Q1 has 6, the DRV8908-Q1 has 8, and the DRV8912-Q1 has 12. They are pin-compatible, so you can scale without redesigning the board.

Is the DRV8908-Q1 automotive qualified?

Yes. The -Q1 suffix denotes AEC-Q100 qualification, and the device includes UVLO and OVP to handle automotive crank-start and load-dump conditions.

How is the DRV8908-Q1 controlled?

Over a 16-bit, 5-MHz SPI bus with daisy-chain support for configuration and diagnostics. Eight on-chip PWM generators provide current limiting during motor operation or LED dimming.

What package is the DRV8908QPWPRQ1?

A 24-pin HTSSOP with an exposed PowerPAD. The pad must be soldered to a copper pour with vias for thermal performance, and X-ray confirms it is void-free.

Can the DRV8908-Q1 drive stepper motors?

Yes. It drives brushed-DC or stepper motors and supports independent, sequential, and parallel modes; a stepper uses two of its H-bridges.

Does the DRV8908-Q1 report diagnostics over SPI?

Yes. Per-channel fault and status information – short-circuit, open-load, undervoltage, and over-temperature – is read back through the SPI status registers, and the nFAULT pin provides an immediate hardware alert when any fault occurs.

Sourcing the DRV8908-Q1 for Your Motor Control

The DRV8908-Q1 collapses a bank of small motor and load drivers into one SPI-controlled, self-diagnosing automotive chip – provided the part is genuine (this one is a known counterfeit target) and the thermal pad is soldered properly. Send us your part list or BOM and we’ll confirm DRV8908QPWPRQ1 stock, verify authenticity, and quote the assembled board.