STMicroelectronics Announces 32-bit MCUs, Extending Platform-Design Advantages in Vehicle Electronics Applicat

STMicroelectronics Announces 32-bit MCUs, Extending Platform-Design Advantages in Vehicle Electronics Applications

Four application-optimized MCU families provide a common system-development platform, cutting development time and costs for advanced powertrain, car body, safety, and cluster solutions

Geneva, June 13,2008 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a leader in ICs for automotive electronics, has announced its first four microcontrollers in four new Power Architecture families enabling integrators to use the 32-bit MCU core throughout powertrain, car body, chassis and safety, and instrumentation systems. The new devices will support advanced functions, enable improved vehicle performance and economy, and deliver savings in development by promoting hardware and software reuse. All four products are available for immediate sampling.

All the devices combine the scalable e200-core 32-bit Power Architecture with an application-optimized peripheral set and plentiful embedded Flash memory, to increase integration, maximize design reuse, shorten time to market, and reduce costs. Advanced 90nm fabrication enables a high-performance, cost-effective solution.

“Automotive systems such as network-management, comfort and security are now ready for the high-performance 32-bit Power Architecture,” said Domenico Bille, General Manager of ST’s Car Body Division. “By providing application-optimized platforms that enable engineers to maximize investment in software and hardware development, ST’s new MCUs will accelerate delivery of greater performance and value to end users.”

The MCU families are the product of ST’s joint-development program with Freescale Semiconductor. As the first true dual-source 32-bit microcontrollers serving the automotive marketplace, these devices increase security of delivery for OEMs. In the past, customers have typically accepted the overhead of working with two different suppliers with two different solutions on board, to avoid supply shortages. “The high-performance architecture, extensive supporting automotive IP and unique advantages of dual-sourcing, deliver to our customers unparalleled security of supply with the ability to create unique, advanced solutions,” said Marco Maria Monti, General Manager of ST’s Powertrain & Safety Division.

For engine-management and powertrain applications, ST has introduced the SPC563M family, optimized to control robotized transmission systems or 4-cylinder gasoline engines and featuring on-chip memories with up to 1.5 Mbytes of embedded Flash. With a dedicated coprocessor to offload CPU and integrated DSP capability, SPC563M devices enable tight emissions controls. Overall system cost savings are achieved thanks to a wide range of enhancements, such as knock-detection integration and very high IO availability in QFP packages. The first available product is the SPC563M60 with 1 Mbyte of Flash, available in QFP144 and BGA208 packages with future extensions in QFP100 and QFP176 packages.

The SPC560B family of products is targeted to cover car-body applications ranging from body peripherals such as seat modules, to central body controllers and all the way up to communication gateways. With a planned memory range from 128 Kbytes to 2 Mbytes of Flash, the devices feature specific enhancements for many applications. These enhancements include a high-resolution ADC for sensorless positioning, a hardware module to generate control signals for multiple power devices such as lamp drivers, sophisticated power-saving modes and a large number of communication interfaces. The devices support robust EEPROM emulation techniques, leading to further cost-saving potential. The first available product is the SPC560B50, which carries 512 Kbytes of Flash and is available in LQFP100 and LQFP144 package configurations. The complete family offers packages from LQFP64 to LQFP176.