Multiple VL53L0X sensors

[Tadeuszh]

Hi there,
So I'm new to the whole microcontrollers world and I have an issue going on. To the point, I need a microcontroller (STM32) to be handling multiple VL53L0X sensors and my question is: is this possible to one microcontroller to run 7 of them?
I am a part of a project on University where a you can say autonomic car, would detect objects using the sensors and connect with user, giving me the distance between them.

Can someone tell me more about it?

[SiliconWizard]

Yes you can. I recommend reading this app note, which deals with exactly that: https://www.st.com/resource/en/application_note/an4846-using-multiple-vl53l0x-in-a-single-design-stmicroelectronics.pdf

[Tadeuszh]

So if i need 7 of them, how many expander outputs do I use? (PCF8574N)

I'm so sorry but I'm just starting my jurney and it's tough for me to understand the stuff that I'm reading about..

[mikerj]

Depends on how many spare I/O pins you have on your micro.  You need one output pin for each VL53L0X to hold them in shutdown whilst programming the I2C addresses, and optionally if you want to use the interrupt output from these devices you need one input pin for each VL53L0X with the input pins being capable of triggering an interrupt if required (you could poll them instead).  For seven VL53L0X that's 14 pins, which should be easily possible on larger STM32 parts so no bus expander needed. 

If you want to use PCF8574N bus expanders (to save pins on the micro) then you'd need one for the shutdown pins and optionally one for the interrupt pins and then you'd have one unused I/O on each bus expander.

[kevin.gibbs]

So if i need 7 of them, how many expander outputs do I use? (PCF8574N)

I'm so sorry but I'm just starting my jurney and it's tough for me to understand the stuff that I'm reading about..

You need to address the required sensor on pins A0-A2. If there are only seven sensors, you simply do not use one of the pins, P0-P7.