Austin-based semiconductor firm Freescale Semiconductor said this week that the firm has recently reached a milestone, of one billion sensors shipped since the firm's entry into the market in 1980. Freescale's MEMs sensors are used for such application as airbag triggers, tire pressure monitoring, engine control, remote sensing, medical equipment, and more. Quoting rankings from industry analyst firm iSuppli, Freescale said it is now the No. 1 merchant automotive sensor supplier.