When selecting an integrated motor drive, first consider the voltage range requirements. The operating voltage range is defined by system requirements, such as the motor characteristics and speed and power requirements. In order to handle voltage spikes due to braking or inductive flyback voltages, it is common to select a motor driver with a higher operating voltage than the supply voltage. For example, the supply rail may be +24 V, but a +36 V motor driver is required to handle the voltage spikes. After selecting the proper voltage range, next consider the current requirements. The driver must be able to support both the continuous current and the peak current requirements of the system. The continuous current rating defines how much current the driver can deliver on average while the peak current is the maximum current the driver can provide for short periods of time. Peak currents come into play with motor braking, stalling, inrush currents and so forth.  Peak currents can be surprisingly high compared to the continuous current. The RDSON is another critical motor driver specification. The lower the RDSON, the better the thermal performance which equates to higher continuous current and higher efficiency. Package and board layout can also have a significant impact on thermal performance and current ratings, but RDSON is an easy to use, excellent figure of merit when comparing thermal performance or current ratings between two devices. Robust overcurrent, over-temp, under-voltage, and shoot-through protection are important features to look for in an integrated motor driver. Also check to make sure external Schottkys are not required. The integrated FETs should be robust enough to handle re-circulation currents and short-circuit events without needing expensive external Schottkys. Finally, there are a number of miscellaneous features to decide on such as the control interface, level of external MCU support required, number of external components required, current regulation support, decay mode support, and if it is a stepper drive, the level of micro-stepping support required.