SHANGHAI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The automotive industry is changing rapidly to address complex challenges, including higher bandwidth networks, improving data security, implementing functional safety and reducing overall energy consumption. Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is expanding its Qorivva and S12 MagniV vehicle body network microcontroller (MCU) portfolios to address these challenges and bring a new level of integration and function to automotive body applications.
As the number of electronic control units in a vehicle grows, the amount of connectivity needed also increases. The average vehicle includes several miles of copper wire – weighing up to 150 lbs. or more – for in-vehicle networking. Integrating more functionality within the vehicle’s main ECUs and increasing the intelligence of its satellite nodes (i.e. modules in doors or electric motors) can help reduce the number of ECUs and the amount of associated wiring required, eliminating weight in the vehicle wiring harness and helping improve vehicle fuel economy.
Along with the demand for greener cars, there is a major push for compliance with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard for automotive body modules, given the critical nature of the functions they enable such as exterior lighting and wind shield wipers. And as wireless communication to and from the vehicle becomes more prevalent, there is a growing need for security measures within automotive microcontrollers – to safeguard the intellectual property they contain and also prevent unauthorized and potentially dangerous access to the vehicle network.
Freescale’s new Qorivva MPC5748G and S12 MagniV S12ZVL/S12ZVC MCUs are complementary technologies with the Qorivva central controller acting as the networking gatekeeper with centralized data security, intelligent power management and ASIL support for functional safety, and the S12 MagniV satellite nodes having integrated power supplies and communications transceivers embedded onto smart mixed-signal MCUs. The level of hyper-integration these devices provide can help simplify vehicle network design, yielding reduced weight, increased manufacturing efficiency and reduced board sizes up to 30 percent.
“Vehicles are transforming into smart consumer devices where all connections lead to the outside world,” said Ray Cornyn, vice president of Automotive Microcontroller Products at Freescale. “By bringing increased intelligence to the central communications controller in the vehicle, Freescale understands the importance of not only securing in-vehicle networks, but also reducing electrical and mechanical energy consumption. Our latest MCU offerings will enable OEMs to reduce up to 20 pounds of copper wiring and board components, reducing vehicle weight and in turn further improving fuel economy.”
Qorivva MPC5748G MCU
The Qorivva MPC5748G MCU is a single-chip solution for next-generation central body control and gateway applications. It combines an exceptional level of integration with innovative low-power management modes, support for functional safety and robust security features.
The MPC5748G MCU provides one of the most diverse sets of networking communications peripherals on the market, with support for Ethernet with Audio Video Bridging (AVB), FlexRay™, Media Local Bus (MLB), USB, CAN FD (Flexible Data Rate) and up to 18 LIN controllers. High performance through a multicore architecture and memory options up to 6 MB of flash and 768 KB of RAM help ensure efficient transfer of data and eliminate communication bottlenecks.
Central body control modules spend significant portions of time in a low-power monitoring state. The MPC5748G features a low-power unit (LPU) mode that allows for increased functionality in a lower-power state, cutting peak current consumption for cyclic wakeup use cases by nearly 30 percent compared to previous-generation devices. In addition, inclusion of analog comparators that operate out of STANDBY mode and pretended networking help support next-generation power budget requirements.
The MPC5748G is a Freescale SafeAssure functional safety solution, defined and developed from the ground up to address the ISO 26262 standard. Built-in safety functions such as self testing and end-to-end error correction coding (ECC), comprehensive auto safety software including AUTOSAR OS and MCAL drivers and extensive safety documentation help target the use of the device for ASIL B.
The MPC5748G offers a hardware security module (HSM) for data protection and ensures secure communication and flash updates through AES cryptographic algorithms, secure memory and secure boot capabilities.
S12 MagniV S12ZVL/S12ZVC MCUs
Increasing the intelligence of CAN termination nodes or LIN nodes using the highly integrated S12 MagniV S12ZVL/S12ZVC MCUs will help automotive OEMs optimize their total body networking systems. The S12ZVL/S12ZVC devices allow designers to achieve the smallest possible CAN termination nodes (using S12ZVC) or LIN nodes (using S12ZVL) and help reduce printed circuit board sizes by as much as 30 percent. Car systems can connect high-voltage signals and power supplies directly to the S12 MagniV MCU, helping save additional discrete components, increasing system quality and reducing system design and manufacturing complexity.
The S12 MagniV portfolio enables body electronics platform design scalability across multiple applications, with CAN and LIN connectivity options, flash memory from 8 KB to 192 KB and a range of package options between 32 and 64 pins.
The S12 MagniV S12ZVL/S12ZVC MCUs are the first devices from the Freescale 16-bit automotive MCU portfolio included in Freescale’s SafeAssure functional safety program. They have been defined and developed from the ground up to address the ISO 26262 standard.
Availability
Limited samples of the Qorivva MPC5748G and the S12 MagniV S12ZVL are expected to be available in the second quarter of this year and general market availability through distribution is anticipated in the second half of 2014. Limited samples of the S12 MagniV S12ZVC are expected to be available in the third quarter of this year and general market availability through distribution at the end of 2014. Contact a Freescale sales representative for more information.
For more detailed information about these products, please visit Qorivva MPC5748G, S12 MagniV S12ZVL and S12 MagniV S12ZVC.
Freescale SafeAssure program: Functional Safety. Simplified.
The Freescale SafeAssure functional safety program is designed to help system manufacturers more easily achieve system compliance with functional safety standards: International Standards Organization (ISO) 26262 and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508. The program highlights Freescale solutions – hardware and software – that are optimally designed to support functional safety implementations and come with a rich set of enablement collateral. For more information, visit www.freescale.com/SafeAssure.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) is a global leader in embedded processing solutions, providing industry leading products that are advancing the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. From microprocessors and microcontrollers to sensors, analog integrated circuits and connectivity – our technologies are the foundation for the innovations that make our world greener, safer, healthier and more connected. Some of our key applications and end-markets include automotive safety, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, next generation wireless infrastructure, smart energy management, portable medical devices, consumer appliances and smart mobile devices. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world. www.freescale.com
Freescale and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. SafeAssure, Qorivva and S12 MagniV are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © 2013 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.