Multicore Qorivva MCU delivers exponential increase in performance to support the design of cleaner, more fuel-efficient engines
Electronic Systems for Motor Vehicles 2011-Automakers continue to raise the bar with their new vehicle designs, delivering improved fuel economy and lower emissions to address consumer expectations and government regulations. High-performance microcontrollers (MCUs) play a key role in green automotive design, and Freescale Semiconductor today announced the first of several powerful multicore automotive MCUs that help make it easier for automotive designers to improve engine efficiency and reduce exhaust pollution.
Freescale's new multicore Qorivva 32-bit MPC5676R MCU, built on Power Architecture(R) technology, provides four times the performance, double the memory space and more functionality than the previous-generation, single-core MPC5566 MCU. The combined benefits of the MPC5676R allow global automakers to incorporate state-of-the art technology, such as direct injection, turbo-charging and full drive by wire systems into a single controller.
"Freescale understands the key role technology plays in helping automakers produce greener, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and we have a long history of working with the automotive industry to develop the solutions they need for their latest-generation designs," said Ray Cornyn, vice president of Freescale's Automotive MCU business. "For powertrain, our goal is to produce the most powerful and flexible MCUs that can simultaneously manage all the complex control of a modern engine, while giving designers the tools and software platforms they need to reduce system complexity."
The 90-nanometer, dual-core MPC5676R MCU is equipped with:
- 6 MB of on-chip flash memory
- 384 KB of on-chip RAM
- Three high-performance enhanced timing processor units (eTPU)
- 64-channel 12-bit analog-to-digital converter.
- CAN and FlexRay(TM) communications systems
- On-chip hardware for knock detection processing.
The device includes two parallel 180 MHz 32 Bit Power Architecture processors for maximum throughput and software flexibility.
The MPC5676R's increased performance and features address the competitive forces of the automotive industry head-on. Industry-standard Power Architecture cores make it easy for software engineers to reuse legacy code, helping drive down automakers' costs even when moving to advanced multi-core architectures.
The adaptability and capability of the MPC5676R make it ideal for a variety of powertrain control applications, including diesel, gasoline and natural gas engines and hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicles. Freescale continues to work with global automotive OEMs, including GM, to provide 32-bit MCU solutions that can meet the performance demands required to manage complex powertrain systems.
Availability
Freescale plans to offer evaluation kits and samples of the MPC5676R MCU in January 2012.
