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.

Further, 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 integration these devices provide can help simplify vehicle network design, yielding reduced weight—about 20 lbs (9 kg) from an overall weight of 150 lbs of associated wiring and circuitry—increased manufacturing efficiency and reduced board sizes up to 30%.

Loane said that the company is working with a number of OEMs on these products, and that sampling will begin in Q2.

MPC5748G MCU key features and block diagram. Source: Freescale. Click to enlarge.

Qorivva MPC5748G MCU. The Qorivva MPC5748G MCU is a single-chip solution for next-generation central body control and gateway applications. It combines a high level of integration with a new low-power management mode, support for functional safety and robust security features.

The new MCU features up to three e200 cores built on Power Architecture technology, with up to 160 MHz performance allowing for easy division of tasks in an integrated BCM/gateway system.

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% 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%. 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.