Automotive MCU targets wireless applications

Onsemi has introduced an ultra-low-power automotive-grade wireless microcontroller with Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity. The NCV-RSL15 automotive MCU targets vehicle manufacturers that are increasingly using wireless connectivity to reduce the cost and weight of cabling as the number of sensors and in-vehicle communication grows, said the company. Applications include vehicle access, tire monitoring systems and seat belt detection.

(Source: onsemi)

The new MCU also addresses security concerns resulting from more sensors and the potential for more possible attack vectors that must be addressed to protect against unauthorized wireless access to the vehicle’s central body computer or central processing unit.

The NCV-RSL15 incorporates the latest in embedded security with the Arm CryptoCell featuring hardware-based root-of-trust secure boot, many user-accessible hardware-accelerated cryptographic algorithms, and firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) capabilities to enable future firmware updates and deployment of security patches.

The NCV-RSL15, housed in a QFNW40 package, also tackles power consumption. Even though sensing applications continue to grow, the power consumption budget has not increased, said onsemi. Another challenge is the growing requirement for a 10-year battery lifetime.

Addressing these challenges, the NCV-RSL15 is certified by the EEMBC as the industry’s lowest power secure, wireless microcontroller, according to onsemi. It features a proprietary smart sense power mode and is designed to use as little power as possible. A side benefit of conserving more battery is increased product longevity.

“By combining ultra-low power consumption with a tiny footprint, and the latest technology in embedded security into one device, we enable our customers to meet their complex sensing-related design challenges for wireless-enabled automotive applications,” said Michel De Mey, vice president of the Industrial Solutions Division, onsemi, in a statement.

Onsemi offers a software development kit with a library of sample code. Click here for the datasheet. The company is exhibiting at Embedded World, March 14-16, Nuremberg, Germany, in Hall 4A, booth #260.