This blog post was originally published at NXP Semiconductors’ website. It is reprinted here with the permission of NXP Semiconductors.
To support the transition to future vehicles where capabilities and features are defined with software code, rather than with hardware boxes, a new approach to design them is required.
NXP has announced the new S32N family of vehicle super-integration processors offering scalable combinations of safe, real-time and applications processing to address a wide range of automakers’ central compute needs. S32N processors can help realize the new use cases and benefits of software-defined vehicles, efficiently create and monetize vehicle data insights and streamline the deployment of vehicle functions and services over a vehicle’s lifetime.
The S32N family of processors provide flexibility for automakers to evolve their vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures and centralize cross-vehicle functions previously implemented as individual hardware boxes called electronic control units (ECUs) into a central compute ECU. A central compute ECU can be a central vehicle controller focused on real-time applications or a central vehicle computer that also provides applications processing.
S32N processors can safely “super-integrate” dozens of cross-vehicle functions with mixed-criticality using hardware isolation and virtualization technologies that ensure freedom from interference between functions. Supported by complementary system components, software tools and pre-integrated software, S32N processors are designed to accelerate software-defined vehicle (SDV) development and reduce vehicle cost and complexity.
S32N family of vehicle super-integration processors enables S32 CoreRide central compute solutions
The scalable S32N family offers many combinations of safe, real-time and applications processing cores to meet a wide range of central compute needs from real-time operating systems running deterministic vehicle control to high-level operating systems running vehicle management and OEM applications and services.
All S32N devices integrate an advanced hardware security engine, multi-port TSN Ethernet switch and CAN hub, with some also supporting Ethernet packet acceleration, AI/ML acceleration and cost-effective, inter-compute PCI Express services.
S32N super-integration processor is scalable across core vehicle functions
The Core of Future Vehicles
Automakers using S32N processors will be able to centrally consolidate core vehicle functionality in a central compute ECU—everything that makes a vehicle, a vehicle—from how the vehicle accelerates and handles, to the feel and agility of the steering and the comfort of the ride. The central compute ECU can now be custom-built to suit the diverse requirements of automakers’ vehicles. It can process vehicle information and orchestrate actions—again, for the first time—from all the vehicle’s core centralized functionality to create new and improved experiences, and these can be fine-tuned, updated and enhanced over time.
Lean Is Green Too
Reducing the number and weight of car components offers a potentially enormous advantage for the automotive industry. In current vehicles, around 40% of the weight is electronics and wiring. Automakers increasingly attempting to meet challenging lowered or zero-carbon goals, and the integration of the S32N’s ability to super-integrate vehicle functions into a single chip in a central compute ECU, will help them achieve these goals as they design and offer lighter and more energy-efficient vehicles.
S32 CoreRide Central Compute Solution
NXP’s S32 CoreRide central compute solution, announced on March 28, 2024, is based on S32N processors. The solution combines S32N compute, vehicle networking and system power management (such as the FS04 safe power management IC) to accelerate central compute development. The solution was designed to adhere to the most rigorous automotive industry standards for vehicle functional safety (ISO 26262), security (ISO/SAE 21434) and reliability.
When combined with software from our partner ecosystem, including NXP’s pre-integrated isolation execution environments, NXP will offer the automotive industry’s first holistic SDV solution that can scale across the vehicle, and vehicle fleets, to meet global automakers’ needs today and into the future.
Brian Carlson
Director, Global Product and Solutions Marketing, NXP Semiconductors
