Connected car embedded chips news and tips this week come from Qualcomm, Clarion, STMicroelectronics, Infinenon, Trillium, NXP, Spirent, Mentor Graphics, Siemens, Toyota, HERE and Tesla.
Qualcomm Shares 5G with New Radio
Qualcomm I announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has introduced its first 5G New Radio (NR) spectrum sharing prototype system and trial platform. The industry is designing 5G NR to get the most out of spectrum available across all spectrum types –licensed, unlicensed and shared spectrum – and across spectrum from lower bands (sub-6 GHz) to high bands in the mmWave range. Qualcomm Technologies’ prototype system aims to show that 5G spectrum sharing technologies will bring higher levels of mobile broadband performance to shared spectrum to enable fiber-like experiences, as well as extending 5G into new types of deployments, such as dedicated 5G networks for enterprise and industrial IoT.
This new prototype is based on the Qualcomm Technologies’ sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G NR end-to-end prototypes which includes both base station and user equipment (UE).
Qualcomm Technologies’ new prototype system will be utilized for technology development in 2017 with field trials together with industry leaders to follow.
Clarion Adds Yelp to Apps
Clarion Corporation of America, a leader in consumer and commercial mobile electronics, announced today the addition of Yelp, the world’s go-to service for finding, reading and writing reviews for local businesses, to its growing portfolio of Smart Access compatible apps and services. Drivers of new and current vehicles featuring either a factory-installed or aftermarket system equipped with Clarion’s Smart Access cloud-based infotainment platform will now be able to access Yelp directly from the screen of their vehicle without having to touch their smartphones.
Smart Access is designed to provide proactive real-time analysis of destination routes on the go, allows for customization of entertainment options, can be tailored to monitor status of the vehicle or the driver’s driving style, and provides an easy, distraction-free way to use many popular smartphone apps while driving. Clarion supplies apps for Subaru STARLINK and other systems.
Accordo 5 for High End Graphics for Audio/Video for Entry Level Vehicles
STMicroelectronics, introduced the new Accordo 5 family of automotive processors to meet crucial display-performance and security demands in a low-power compact platform suitable for lower-cost vehicles. The devices enable state-of-the-art digital instrument clusters and Audio/Video/Navigation (AVN) head units to become more affordable than ever by integrating the complete graphics, video, and audio functionality on-chip to save design costs and simplify assembly.
Accordo 5 devices provide features that have high value for car drivers, including smartphone mirroring that gives access to content such as music and navigation services on the phone safely through the vehicle’s own user interface. The state-of-the-art host processor and high-performance video and graphics engines can present complex information displays, such as simultaneous user-interface plus rear-view camera with navigation and video preview. There is also video playback for major formats including H.264 and DivX®, 2D and 3D graphics with effects such as blending and overlays, as well as USB connections and SD-Card interfaces.
Less visible to users, but critically important to today’s increasingly connected cars, Accordo 5 chips integrate a high-performance microcontroller that secures the interface between the head unit and the main vehicle network. Built-in features of this microcontroller include boot-code authentication, secure interconnect, and high-performance data encryption.
The Accordo 5 family comprising the STA1275, STA1285, and STA1295 is in sampling phase now. phase now. The STA1295 with dual-core Cortex-A7 processor is available in a 19mm x 19mm x 1.7mm LFBGA529 package. Please contact your local ST sales office for pricing options and further information.
Infineon RFBeam Tx/Rx Module
Infineon Technologies AG and RFbeam Microwave GmbH introduced a single Tx/Rx module which is among the world’s smallest and lowest power consuming solutions. The new low-cost 24 GHz transceiver system modules from RFbeam utilize the 24 GHz radar sensors BGT24LTR11 and BGT24MR2 from Infineon. They provide a plug-and-play-solution for original equipment manufacturers in need of either motion detection for persons or speed/distance measurement capabilities.
Possible fields of usage include advanced motion detection, speed, direction and distance measurement.. In traffic applications, the radar system can be used for red light management for roadworks or speed detection, as well as car classification systems such as toll roads or car park barriers.
Trillium & NXP Partner for Automotive CyberSecurity
Trillium Inc. announced joint development efforts with NXP Semiconductors for next-generation automotive cybersecurity applications. The announcement was made at the Munich opening of ESCAR Europe, the leading global conference series on automotive cybersecurity.
The initiative involves non-invasive in-vehicle testing of Tokyo-based Trillium’s SecureCAR software on the next-generation S32K microcontroller (MCU)* platform by NXP, the world’s leading semiconductor supplier for the automotive industry.
Focused on optimizing SecureCAR performance, the initial phase of research demonstrates the performance of Trillium’s software on NXP’s S32K MCUs.
Trillium’s SecureCAR software provides patent pending Authentication, Encryption, Dynamic Key Lock Pairing (symmetric session key exchange management) and Asymmetric master key generation for securely protecting vehicle network payloads.
Hyundai Selected Spirent
Spirent Communications, the leading provider of connected car and automotive Ethernet test solutions, announced that Spirent’s C50+TTworkbench solution has been selected by Hyundai Motor Group in South Korea to verify in-car networking.
Modern cars have up to 100 engine control units (ECUs), and as more vehicles support advanced features such as multiple cameras and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), automotive designers must adopt higher capacity in-car networks. Automotive Ethernet networking is derived from the eponymous computer networking technology, and is being adopted by Automotive OEMs around the world.
To help develop and verify its automotive Ethernet systems and determine the best Ethernet designs for its vehicles, Hyundai is using the Spirent solutions to verify the Ethernet ECUs.
Mentor Graphics FloEFD
Mentor Graphics Corporation announced the newest release of its leading frontloading computational fluid dynamics (CFD) FloEFD™ product targeting complex design challenges. Frontloading CFD refers to the practice of moving CFD simulation early into the design process, enabling design engineers to examine and evaluate design options, resulting in optimized product performance and reliability. The new FloEFD product provides the industry’s first simulation solution for water vapor absorption alongside several other lighting related functionalities.
With the latest version of FloEFD software, users can now simulate the sorption (when one substance permeates another) and desorption (changing from an adsorbed state to a gaseous or liquid state) processes. For example, plastic absorbs water and then releases it when environmental conditions change. This functionality is important for several key markets such as automotive lighting design where moisture needs to be minimized in light housings. Other automotive lighting related capabilities include radiation and spectrum for direction source modeling, and LED thermal-optical modeling to simulate LEDs with non-linear dependence of parameters on temperature.
Siemens’ Mentor Buyout
Siemens announced that they have entered into a merger agreement under which Siemens will acquire MentorGraphis for $37.25 per share in cash, which represents an enterprise value of $4.5 billion.
This acquisition decisively extends Siemens’ leading Digital Enterprise Software portfolio with Mentor’s well established electronics IC and systems design, simulation and manufacturing solutions. These capabilities are essential for today’s smart connected products such as autonomous vehicles.
Toyota In-House EV Development
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has decided to establish an in-house venture company responsible for developing electric vehicles (EVs). The venture company, which will be a virtual organization consisting of four persons―one each from Toyota Industries Corporation, Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation and TMC―and which will be independent of other internal structural organizations, is set to launch in December 2016.
In the development of EVs, the venture company will draw on the technological knowhow and resources of the Toyota Group. Its small organizational structure is meant to enable it to implement unconventional work processes, leading to accelerated project progress and, thus, fast-to-market products.
HERE Traffic for Hyundai
HERE, the Open Location Platform company, announced today that its HD+ Traffic service will be available in select 2017 Hyundai cars sold in the U.S. and Canada. HERE HD+ Traffic is an innovative new distribution mechanism that offers drivers real-time traffic information by combining the best in broadcast and connected vehicle technology.
HERE HD+ Traffic will be available in the 2017 Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Ioniq and Veloster.
HERE HD+ Traffic addresses the existing market challenge of automakers providing drivers connected traffic information without the OEM incurring excess cellular data fees. HERE HD+ Traffic utilizes TPEG format in both connected and broadcast services which enables simple switching – allowing for broadcast traffic to be used in major metropolitan areas where most traffic congestion occurs, and connected to be used outside of broadcast areas. HD+ Traffic delivers the most innovative HERE features, including Split Lane Traffic and Reversible Express Lanes.
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Tesla Motors released a video of a Tesla running in full atuonomous mode to the the tune of Benny Hill.