Advanced Processing in Light and Heavy Vehicles

NXP Semiconductors, with a history spanning nearly five decades, has pioneered the processor market, specialising in processing solutions for vehicles. These solutions encompass a wide range of applications, including engine control, CAN, LIN, radar, and functional safety. In an era of autonomous and electric software-defined vehicles (SDVs), connectivity plays a pivotal role in facilitating the collection of real-time vehicle data for cloud services. This data, harnessed with the power of AI and machine learning, paves the way for vehicles that continuously evolve, becoming safer, more secure, and more efficient while enhancing the overall driving experience.

Challenges of Transitioning to SDVs

SDVs have become the prime focus for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). However, transitioning from the conventional domain-based platform to full zonal platforms is a formidable challenge, as illustrated in Figure 1. Some OEMs are opting to bypass the hybrid stage, moving directly to full zonal platforms, which necessitates a complete restructuring of the vehicle’s architecture. The adoption of zonal technology offers several benefits, including enhanced security, centralised over-the-air firmware updates, reduced memory overhead, and improved integration, resulting in fewer electronic control units (ECUs) and faster response times. NXP’s contributions to this transition are worth exploring.

NXP’s extensive involvement in automotive processing has positioned it as a key player in the ongoing transformation, collaborating closely with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Drawing from its experience in developing braking systems, NXP has gained valuable insights into the demands of these critical applications.

Figure 1: Evolution toward full zonal platforms: the foundation for the software-defined vehicle (Image source: NXP)

Figure 2: The NXP S32K3 offers a scalable solution for all architectures (Image source: NXP)

To reduce the number of required ECUs, the next logical step is the transformation of the vehicle architecture into a domain topology, which distinguishes power conversion and drive and energy management domains. This reorganisation leads to a significant reduction in the number of MCUs and associated hardware by approximately 60%.

An even more integrated approach involves the creation of a full zonal design, consolidating all functionalities into a single ECU. Achieving this integration is facilitated by transitioning within the same family of MCUs, simplifying maintenance and updates. The use of the S32 platform further eases the design process, particularly when functional safety and security are essential.

Examining NXP’s MCU offerings, we find the S32K family, representing the lower end of processing power. These microcontrollers range from 120 kbytes of flash memory, operating on an ARM Cortex-M0+ core at 48V, primarily targeting small CAN/LIN nodes. As we ascend the processing power hierarchy, multiple sub-families offer products with up to 8MB of flash memory, housing several ARM Cortex-M cores, some in lockstep configuration and others decoupled, achieving clock speeds of up to 320MHz. Some of these products also feature additional cores, such as DSP for predictive maintenance or filtering and programmable CPU cores with advanced timer capabilities, catering to the requirements of traction inverters.

The concept of the platform approach is not limited to heavy vehicles but is also explored in the context of light vehicles, including the two-wheeler market, which encompasses e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-superbikes, Figure 2. While the aim is to reduce development costs and the number of ECUs by concentrating on similar features, the two-wheeler market presents distinct requirements. A rule of thumb is that if a driving license is necessary for a two-wheeler, OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers must adhere to the motorcycle safety integrity level (MSIL), analogous to the automotive ASIL.

Initially, functional safety for two-wheelers was excluded from the scope of the ISO 26262 standard introduced in 2011, primarily due to the unique challenges and characteristics of two-wheeled vehicles. These challenges include the criticality, severity, and controllability of ensuring functional safety, particularly in scenarios where critical components, such as the anti-lock braking system (ABS), malfunction - the degree of harm to both the vehicle and the rider is greater than in the case of a car.

Figure 3: The two-wheeler market spans from e-bikes and e-scooters to e-superbikes (Image source: NXP)

Figure 4: NXP’s S32 automotive processing development platforms (Image source: NXP)

NXP recognises the importance of expediting system development and testing. To facilitate this, the company offers ready-made S32 automotive processing development platforms, such as the GreenBox, GoldBox, and BlueBox, depicted in Figure 4, as well as the newly introduced OrangeBox. These platforms are housed in rugged cases, suitable for direct integration within vehicles, and come equipped with a wealth of software resources. We will delve further into the OrangeBox platform.

Unified Connectivity

Modern vehicles have evolved into highly sophisticated edge devices, capable of seamless communication with the cloud and their surroundings. This connectivity enables advanced safety features, secure car access, enhanced infotainment capabilities, and more. However, this growing reliance on a multitude of wireless technologies, including vehicle-to-everything (V2X), ultra-wideband (UWB), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5G, and others, has led to disjointed architecture within vehicles, potentially exposing complex cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

To address this challenge, NXP introduced the OrangeBox development platform, which consolidates all external wireless connectivity into a single connectivity domain controller. This approach simplifies hardware and software complexity, accelerates time-to-market, and enforces consistent state-of-the-art security for all wireless data entering or leaving the vehicle.