Category Archives: Electronics

Stoneridge Appoints Troy Cooprider as Chief Technology Officer

NOVI, MI, Mar 15, 2024 – Stoneridge, Inc. announced the appointment of Troy Cooprider to the position of chief technology officer. Cooprider will set the company’s strategic technology and product roadmaps and support future innovation and growth through oversight of the global engineering function.

Troy Cooprider

“We have a clear strategy for the future, and with Troy’s proven track record in bringing advanced technologies to market, we will continue to redefine the standards of safe and efficient mobility,” said Jim Zizelman, president and CEO, Stoneridge.

Cooprider brings more than 30 years of industry experience in automotive electronics to Stoneridge. Most recently, he was vice president of global technology at Stoneridge, responsible for leading product innovation, advanced engineering, and technology strategy. He joined Stoneridge in 2020 as vice president of advanced engineering and engineering excellence to lead the development and execution of its next-generation electronics systems.  Before that, he served as executive director of engineering at Aptiv, where he had oversight for global product development and launch activities for a broad range of electronics and safety products.

Cooprider earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Stoneridge has filed more than 30 patent applications with Cooprider listed as an inventor.

About Stoneridge, Inc.

Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, MI, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, components, and modules for the automotive, commercial, off-highway and agricultural vehicle.

Cadence Partners with Arm

SAN JOSE, CA, Mar 14, 2024 – Cadence Design Systems, Inc. announced a collaboration with Arm to deliver a chiplet-based reference design and software development platform to accelerate software-defined vehicle (SDV) innovation. The automotive reference design, initially for advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) applications, specifies a scalable chiplet architecture and interface interoperability to foster industry-wide collaboration, enable heterogeneous integration and expand system innovation.

The solution is architected and built using the latest generation of Arm Automotive Enhanced technologies and Cadence IP. The complementary software stack development platform is provided as a digital twin of the hardware that is compliant with the Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge (SOAFEE) initiative software standard, enabling software development to begin before hardware is available and allowing subsequent system integration validation. The combined solution speeds both hardware and software development, accelerating time-to-market.

The growing prevalence of ADAS and SDVs is driving the need for more complex AI and software capabilities, as well as greater levels of interoperability and collaboration in the automotive electronics ecosystem. Coupled with the need to quickly customize 3D-IC systems for a plethora of automotive applications, chiplets are an increasingly attractive solution. However, it’s crucial that chiplets from different IP providers work together seamlessly. In addition, the rapid pace of automotive development necessitates that 3D-IC system developers have a software development platform to shift left in the process flow while the IP and chiplets are still being designed.

The new solution architecture and reference design provide a standard for chiplet interface interoperability, addressing a critical industry need. The Cadence components of the solution include:

  • Helium Virtual and Hybrid Studio for the rapid creation of virtual and hybrid platforms and Helium Software Digital Twin to support deployment at scale for software developers
  • I/O IP solutions for industry-leading interface and memory protocols, including Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) for high-speed chiplet-to-chiplet communication
  • Comprehensive compute IP portfolio including advanced AI solution, the Neo neural processing unit (NPU) IP, the NeuroWeave software development kit (SDK) for machine learning (ML) solutions, and world-class DSP compute solutions

“The automotive industry is evolving rapidly and AI and software advancements are emphasizing a greater need to speed up development cycles,” said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive Line of Business, Arm. “Together with critical ecosystem partners like Cadence, we’re enabling faster software and hardware development by bringing together a complete solution of design and verification technologies underpinned by the latest Automotive Enhanced technologies from Arm, allowing developers to start building for next-generation SDVs well before silicon is available in the market.”

“Reducing the overall system design workload and shifting hardware and software development left are both crucial to meet shrinking time-to-market windows when developing today’s increasingly complex SDVs. Virtual platforms and chiplets are both key enablers for automotive 3D-IC SoC developers,” said Paul Cunningham, senior vice president and general manager of the System Verification Group at Cadence. “Working closely with Arm, we are addressing key inefficiencies in both software and hardware development and verification processes, while catalyzing the multi-die chiplet ecosystem for automotive semiconductors.”

The virtual platform and component IP for the reference platform are available now for early adopters.

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to systems for the most dynamic market applications, including consumer, hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, industrial and healthcare. For nine years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Learn more at cadence.com.

Mitsubishi Electric Partners with Dispel

VERNON HILLS, IL, Mar 14, 2024 – Mitsubishi Electric Corp. announced that it has signed an agreement with Dispel LLC, a developer and distributor of secure remote access and operational management solutions, to expand its operational technology (OT) security business through marketing and technical development.

Based on the agreement, Mitsubishi Electric will integrate its factory automation (FA) equipment and OT security solutions with Dispel’s secure remote-access technology to provide a Zero Trust Remote Access Service that monitors, controls, and verifies remote-access operations involving equipment in manufacturing facilities. For Mitsubishi Electric, the goal is to accelerate digital manufacturing by utilizing data throughout entire product lifecycles, from design and installation to operation and maintenance, and thereby strengthen the company’s circular digital engineering business.

Mitsubishi Electric, a leading supplier of FA control-system equipment, provides complete one-stop OT security solutions that incorporate services ranging from assessment and consulting to countermeasures and operations. The company is dedicated to ensuring network security and reliable communication management by controlling access to OT assets and implementing traceability measures.

Dispel is a U.S. security vendor that provides secure remote-access services to critical facilities, including power and water utilities, financial companies and research institutions, primarily in North America. Dispel has technologies for access control and traceability through logging and recording based on “when, who, and where,” enabling more detailed and secure management compared to traditional VPN solutions. The company adheres to worldwide security standards, such as NIST CSF* and IEC 62443**, in its provision of remote access environments on a global scale.

“At Mitsubishi Electric, we are creating new value in OT security by combining our OT technology and expertise in manufacturing with information-system security technologies from leading security vendors,” said Kunihiko Kaga, Mitsubishi Electric’s representative executive officer and industry and mobility business area owner.

“Through our collaboration with Dispel, we expect to contribute to OT security and society as a whole by providing secure environments for remote maintenance.”

“What matters to industrial customers is uptime, availability, and crew safety,” said Mr. Ian Schmertzler, president of Dispel. “Cyber security should not be something they need to worry about, but the shifting regulatory and threat landscape has made it impossible to ignore. By providing a Zero Trust Access platform aligned with NIST 800-53 to their customer base, Mitsubishi Electric is making it possible for their clients to refocus on what matters.”

Remote maintenance, which involves utilizing internet technology to monitor and troubleshoot production lines from remote locations, is attracting increasing interest due to manufacturing’s globalization as well as its implementation of IoT and digital transformation. However, accessing factory systems via the Internet has increased security risks, such as cyberattacks targeting communication pathways, which is inhibiting the adoption of remote maintenance. In addition, large manufacturing sites typically use equipment from multiple equipment vendors, which requires a dedicated communication path for each vendor’s equipment, resulting in multiple communication paths being exposed to security risks.

For more information about the Dispel, please visit https://dispel.com/.

* A cyber security framework (CSF) for critical infrastructure, issued by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
** Generic control system security standards issued by IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
Originally (initially) released in Japanese and English

For more information about Dispel LLC, visit https://dispel.com/.

About Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

Headquartered in Vernon Hills, IL, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. is a US affiliate company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. It offers a broad product portfolio including programmable automation controllers (PAC)programmable logic controllers (PLC)human machine interfaces (HMI)variable frequency drives (VFD)servo amplifiers and motorscontrol softwarecomputerized numerical controllers (CNC)motion controllersrobots and low-voltage power distribution products.

Additional information about Mitsubishi Electric Automation is available at us.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/en/.

About Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

With more than 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing, and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation, and building equipment. Mitsubishi Electric enriches society with technology in the spirit of its “Changes for the Better.” The company recorded a revenue of 5,003.6 billion yen (U.S.$ 37.3 billion*) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.

For more information, please visit www.MitsubishiElectric.com.

*U.S. dollar amounts are translated from yen at the rate of \134=U.S.$1, the approximate rate on the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2023

ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism Announced

Singapore, Mar 11, 2024 – ENNOVI, a mobility electrification solutions partner, announces the launch of ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism, a groundbreaking prismatic battery cell contacting system designed to redefine the connectivity and efficiency of battery modules.

ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism empowers engineers with unparalleled flexibility, enabling the seamless integration of individual prismatic cells to create larger battery modules or advanced cell-to-pack (CTP) and cell-to-chassis (CTC) configurations. By streamlining the assembly process and eliminating inefficiencies, ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism accelerates battery pack production while optimizing material usage and reducing costs.

Randy Tan, product portfolio director for Battery Platform Development Solutions, ENNOVI, explains, “Traditionally, prismatic cell contacting systems have relied on current collector assembly (CCA) technologies, which often suffer from inherent inefficiencies. These systems entail complex processes, including laminating and assembling carriers with low-voltage data collection circuits, current collectors, and terminal busbars. However, ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism revolutionizes this approach by introducing innovative features that enhance performance and sustainability.”

One of the key innovations of ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism is the adoption of a die-cut circuit (FDC) as an alternative to the conventional flexible printed circuit (FPC). This reel-to-reel process reduces production time and costs while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, the use of automotive-grade PET material and hot-bar soldering ensures optimal thermal resistance and component attachment without compromising integrity.

Furthermore, ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism eliminates the need for traditional insulation methods by integrating voltage and temperature sensing directly into the assembly. This approach optimizes material usage and production efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of reliability and safety.

ENNOVI’s patent-pending ENNOVI-CellConnect system represents a paradigm shift in battery interconnect technology, empowering OEMs and gigafactories to scale production and meet the growing demand for electrified mobility solutions. Compatible with prismatic, cylindrical, and pouch cell formats, this versatile platform offers unique customization options for diverse applications.

For more information on the new ENNOVI-CellConnect-Prism, please visit https://ennovi.com/cell-contacting-system-prismatic/.

About ENNOVI

ENNOVI, a Mobility Electrification Solutions Partner, is a world leader in designing and manufacturing customized interconnect and high-precision system solutions for electric vehicles. The company is fully dedicated to the mobility market with the agility to act at speed in realizing EV OEMs’ needs, from product, process, and manufacturing, on a global level. ENNOVI is accelerating EV market customers’ ideas and requirements through end-to-end competencies in battery platform, power and signal interconnect needs. Headquartered in Singapore, ENNOVI has more than 10,000 employees across 15 sites globally, where all its activities are socially responsible, with minimal environmental impact.

Learn more at www.ennovi.com.

Semidynamics Releases ‘Configurator’ for RISC-V Processor Core

BARCELONA, Spain, Mar 7, 2024 – Semidynamics, the European RISC-V custom core specialist, has released its new tool called ‘Configurator’ that puts the power of Semidynamics’ full customization of a RISC-V processor core in the hands of the customer. It uses dozens of blocks that have already been verified by Semidynamics so that the final core is therefore also verified. This gives customers an incredible fast time to a workable core design in a matter of a few hours from the thousands of possible variants.

Semidynamics’ unique ‘Open Core Surgery’ allows the customer to tailor the Semidynamics IP to their needs, including adding new instructions, new interfaces and the customer’s ‘secret sauce’ deep inside. This process entails two steps. First step is to configure the base parameters of the architecture, which is what Configurator enables. The second step is to describe the special features required by the customer; the Semidynamics engineering team will take those requests and implement them according to the customer’s requirements. The newly released Configurator helps in both steps. First, it provides an easy way for the customer to specify the configuration parameters for the IP. Second, it allows the customer to describe the additional changes, beyond configuration, required.

Roger Espasa, Semidynamics’ CEO, explained, “We are the only company offering fully customizable RISC-V IP cores so there are many choices to be made by customers when specifying their requirements. Our new Configurator tool makes this process extremely easy for the customer to do on their own computer screen. The tool has a sequential set of options that logically works through the thousands of possible variants. As each one option is selected, the resulting core configuration is immediately displayed on the screen so that the customer can see how the layout of blocks builds. The customer can go back and change any of the options to see the effect on the core layout. Naturally, we are available to help and advise customers in the choices to ensure the best possible core design for their application.

“When the customer has finalized the design, it is sent to us for a PPA and licensing quote. Once this is agreed and the contract signed, the RTL is sent to them immediately and as it is already verified by us they don’t have that time consuming stage to do. The whole aim of Configurator is to empower the customer with an easy-to-use way to have the exact custom core that they need in the shortest possible time so that they are fastest to market with their innovative product.”

Some of the choices offered by the Configurator tool include instruction and data cache sizes, main memory bus size and type, and eight optional extensions. Additional options include Semidynamics’ state-of-the-art Tensor and RISC-V 1.0 compliant Vector Units with a choice of number of cores and data configuration. On top of these, Gazzillion technology that ensures constant data flow from memory.

The Semidynamics Configurator tool is web-based so it can be run on the customer’s own computer system once they have registered which can be done at www.semidynamics.com/configurator.

About Semidynamics

Founded in Barcelona on 2016, Semidynamics is a European supplier of RISC-V IP cores, specialising in high-bandwidth high-performance cores with vector units targeted at machine learning and artificial intelligence applications.

Proud participant in the European Processor Initiative (EPI).

For more information, visit website.

Infineon Enhances TRAVEO T2G MCU Family

with Qt Group Graphics

MUNICH, Germany, Mar 7, 2024 – In the highly competitive global semiconductor market, manufacturers are constantly striving for shorter time-to-market. At the same time, the demand for fluid and high-resolution graphical displays is increasing. To address these market demands, Infineon Technologies AG announces its strategic collaboration with Qt Group, a global software company providing cross-platform solutions for the entire software development lifecycle. This collaboration brings Qt’s lightweight, high-performance graphics framework to Infineon’s graphics-enabled TRAVEO T2G cluster microcontrollers and represents a paradigm shift in graphical user interface (GUI) development.

TRAVEO T2G cluster

Microcontrollers nowadays offer extensive graphical capabilities that enable compact designs, cost-efficiency, and lower power consumption. With features such as instant boot-up, small footprint and efficient real-time processing, they are widely used in various sectors, including automotive instrument clusters, two-wheelers, construction machinery, industrial and medical applications. Infineon’s TRAVEO T2G MCUs are designed to meet the requirements of these applications, especially the TRAVEO T2G cluster family. This device family provides graphical user interfaces with high refresh rates and up to full HD resolution. By integrating the Qt graphics solution directly into these MCUs, Infineon further optimizes these devices and enables intelligent rendering technology with benefits such as:

  • Up to 5x more efficient memory usage compared to the market average.
  • Up to 2x faster boot time compared to average boot times in the market.
  • Up to 50 percent shorter time to market, from design to production.

“Whether in the automotive industry, healthcare or industrial automation, responsive user interfaces with high-quality graphics are essential,” said Toni Paila, director, Qt for MCUs at Qt Group. “However, the MCUs used for these applications typically lack integrated advanced design and development tools especially for modern user interfaces. We are therefore proud to support Infineon in bridging this gap and enabling device manufacturers to deliver outstanding user interfaces with low memory footprints on their MCUs. This will allow designers to create GUIs that were previously considered impossible due to resource constraints.”

“Qt’s efficient design and development workflow, coupled with over 30 years of production experience in various industries, has accelerated our UI application development,” said Ralf Ködel, Vice President Microcontrollers at Infineon. “By extending this efficiency to our microcontrollers, our customers can significantly shorten the time to market – from product design to production.”

A live demonstration of Qt for MCUs on Infineon`s TRAVEO T2G will be showcased at Qt`s booth at Embedded World 2024 in Nuremberg from April 9 to 11 in Hall 4, Stand 4-258.

Availability

The TRAVEO T2G cluster microcontroller products featuring Qt’s advanced graphical libraries are now available. Further information is available at www.infineon.com/traveocluster.

About Qt Group

Qt Group is a global software company, trusted by industry leaders and over 1.5 million developers worldwide to create applications and smart devices that users love. Their customers are in more than 70 different industries in over 180 countries. Qt Group employs some 800 people, and its net sales in 2023 were 180.7 MEUR.

To learn more, visit www.qt.io .

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG is a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Infineon drives decarbonization and digitalization with its products and solutions. The company has around 58,600 employees worldwide and generated revenue of about €16.3 billion in the 2023 fiscal year (ending 30 September).

Further information is available at www.infineon.com.

ION Mobility Selects Siemens Xcelerator

PLANO, TX, Mar 6, 2024 – Siemens Digital Industries Software announced that ION Mobility has used the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to bring its breakthrough IONM1-S electric motorbike to market, which will help accelerate the electrification of mobility in Southeast Asia.

ION Mobility has used the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to bring its breakthrough ION M1-S electric motorbike to market, which will help accelerate the electrification of mobility in Southeast Asia. (Image credit: ION Mobility)

ION Mobility is an auto-tech company on a mission to create and deliver affordable, desirable, and sustainable mobility for everyone. The state-of-the-art design and precision engineered M1-S motorbike is the culmination of three years of rigorous effort, from a dedicated team of designers, engineers, and technologists across four countries to provide a sustainable urban solution, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. It offers 150 km range, 4.3 kWh capacity with a less than 3-hours recharge time and a top speed of 105 km/h – all with 26 liters of under the seat storage and the compact agility that is demanded for a city bike.

ION Mobility used Siemens’ NX software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio for styling, mechanical engineering and electric battery pack development, allowing the team to move from concept, through engineering and into manufacturing readiness. Siemens’ NX software and Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management will also form the basis of supplier collaboration as the ION M1-S moves into a production value chain. In addition, ION Mobility has also adopted Siemens’ Capital software for wire harness design and manufacturing. ION Mobility are supported by Siemens’ sales partner, Dream Technology System Pte Ltd.

“Our design team has been working around the clock and across the globe to get the M1-S ready for production,” said Wu Xianyi, chief operating officer, ION Mobility. “The combination of Siemens’ NX, Teamcenter and Capital will allow us to bring together the disciplines of styling, mechanical engineering and wire harness design and to work cohesively as a team to ensure our products not only look amazing but perform as needed by our demanding target customers. All accomplished amidst the global pandemic.”

The Southeast Asia region is home to over 200 million combustion engine-powered two-wheelers. There is an increased urgency to shift towards electric motorbikes in the present, with more than 80 percent of households in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam owning motorcycles putting a burden on urban air quality and the environment.

“We are committed to creating great products and seamless user experiences for our customers. Our products combine advanced hardware and software technology with human-centered design to deliver smart electric motorbikes and energy storage solutions that are for everyone to use,” said James Chan, CEO and founder, ION Mobility. “Our vision is to lead our region’s transition towards a low-carbon economy with electric and electric mobility products for consumers across Southeast Asia. The Siemens Xcelerator portfolio allows us to move rapidly from concept to production-ready product in the timeframe that start-ups require, allowing us to get ahead of the market and define new market categories.”

“ION Mobility’s work to address Southeast Asia’s mobility challenge is testament to how the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio is enabling innovators and pioneers in SMBs to take their ideas from concept to product using the same world-class tools that only much larger organizations previously had access to,” said Alex Teo, vice president & managing director, South East Asia, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “We’re delighted to see how ION Mobility is bringing the ION M1-S to market and how the accessibility of Siemens Xcelerator is enabling true innovation across so many industries.”

To learn more about the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software, visit https://www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/digital-transformation/

About Siemens Digital Industries Software

Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens’ software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries.

For more information, visit website.

Siemens Joins Semiconductor Education Alliance

PLANO, TX, Mar 1, 2024 – Siemens Digital Industries Software announced it has joined the Semiconductor Education Alliance to help build and nurture thriving communities of practice across the integrated circuit (IC) design and electronic design automation (EDA) industries, from teachers and schools to universities, publishers, educational technology companies and research organizations.

Founded by Arm in 2023 with a mission to help close education and skills gaps in the global semiconductor space, the Semiconductor Education Alliance brings together key stakeholders from across industry, academia, and government, to provide resources that help teachers, researchers, engineers and learners access new, accelerated educational pathways.

“Siemens joining the Semiconductor Education Alliance is a significant step forward in our collective efforts to promote communities of practice in STEM education and research with the involvement of academia and industry partners throughout the EDA industry,” said Mike Ellow, executive vice president, electronic design automation, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “As part of this alliance, we are undertaking specific projects aimed at developing the workforce in the semiconductor industry to benefit all parties involved. Siemens also aims to share resources, capabilities, and expertise in a flexible, federated and open model through a variety of forums.”

“The global semiconductor industry is facing a shortage of skills and talent that requires industry-wide action,” said Khaled Benkrid, senior director, Education and Research at Arm. “The Semiconductor Education Alliance was created to address semiconductor skills challenges and we welcome the capabilities Siemens brings to the alliance as we come together as an industry to nurture the talent pipeline.”

“The semiconductor industry needs more than one million additional skilled workers by 2030 to keep up with global demand, according to Deloitte,” said Dora Smith, senior director of the Global Academic Program, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “Partnering with Arm through the Semiconductor Education Alliance helps us collectively bridge pathways to address both the quality and quantity of talent needed to drive innovation and meet market growth. We look forward to collaborating with this ecosystem of expertise to futureproof the workforce.”

To learn more about how the Semiconductor Education Alliance, visit https://www.arm.com/resources/education.

About Siemens Digital Industries Software

Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens’ software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries.

Cadence Expands Tensilica IP Portfolio

SAN JOSE, CA, Feb 29, 2024 – Cadence Design Systems, Inc. expanded its Tensilica IP portfolio to address the increasing computational requirements associated with automotive sensor fusion applications. The new high-performance Cadence Tensilica Vision 331 DSP and Vision 341 DSP combine vision, radar, lidar and AI processing in a single DSP for multi-modal, sensor-based system designs, delivering the best energy efficiency in the smallest area. When paired with the new Cadence Tensilica Vision 4DR Accelerator optimized for 4D imaging radar applications, customers can achieve even greater radar performance and higher energy efficiency. A major automotive SoC provider and early access customer has selected the Vision 341 DSP for its next-generation automotive SoC, demonstrating customer demand for these new solutions.

Cadence expanded its Tensilica IP portfolio with two new Vision DSPs and a radar accelerator to address automotive sensor fusion applications. The new high-performance Cadence Tensilica Vision 331 DSP and Vision 341 DSP combine vision, radar, lidar and AI processing in a single DSP for multi-modal, sensor-based system designs, delivering the best energy efficiency in the smallest area.

“Automotive architectures continue to evolve with the current focus on software-defined vehicles and the growing prevalence of driver and occupancy monitoring systems,” said Raphaël Da Silva, technology and market analyst at Yole Group. “With the automotive race towards eyes off, a mix of radars, cameras and Lidars are necessary to ensure optimal safety performance in all conditions. There are more than 40 sensors in a vehicle today, and that number will only continue to grow. Having these capabilities in a single, highly programmable DSP with a broad ecosystem is advantageous, particularly as imaging and 4D radar are expected to grow at a >40% CAGR from 2023 to 2028 and >131% for in-cabin use as noted in the Yole Intelligence Radar for Automotive 2023 report.”

The new Vision 341 DSP and Vision 331 DSPs combine the proven Tensilica ConnX and Vision instruction-set architectures to offer SoC providers for automotive, drone, robotics and autonomous vehicle systems a highly programmable, single-DSP solution for image sensing, radar, lidar and AI workloads. Other features and benefits include:

  • The 1024-bit Vision 341 DSP provides 2X multiply-accumulate (MAC) capability compared to the Vision 331 DSP while delivering the best performance and energy efficiency compared to GPUs or CPUs.
  • For certain 4D imaging radar workloads, the 512-bit Vision 331 DSP offers up to 4X performance improvement over the Vision 230 DSP in radar boost mode, while the Vision 341 DSP offers up to 6X performance improvement compared to the Vision 230 DSP.
  • When paired with the new DSPs for 4D imaging radar applications, the Vision 4DR accelerator offers 3X greater performance and up to 6X greater performance/area advantage compared to a Vision 341 DSP alone and 5X greater performance compared to a Vision 331 DSP alone.
  • The new Vision DSPs deliver up to 2X computer vision performance improvements for computer vision filter and NMS algorithms, as well as AI improvements for quantization and depthwise separable convolution.

The Vision 341 and Vision 331 DSPs support the Tensilica Instruction Extension (TIE) language, allowing customers to customize the instruction set. The Cadence NeuroWeave Software Development Kit (SDK) provides neural network support for both DSPs. In addition, the Vision 341 and Vision 331 DSPs support more than 1700 OpenCV-based vision library functions, SLAM Library, Point Cloud Library (PCL), Radar library, Nature DSP library, OpenCL and the Halide compiler for computer vision, imaging, radar and lidar applications. Both cores are automotive ready with ASIL-B hardware random faults and ASIL-D systematic fault certification.

“With the growing prevalence of vision transformers, automotive SoC and systems companies need best-in-class performance for sensor fusion applications. Increasingly, they are seeking a highly flexible single-DSP solution for computer vision, radar and lidar with AI processing,” said David Glasco, VP of R&D for the Silicon Solutions Group at Cadence. “As the leading provider of vision and radar DSP IP, we’re extremely well positioned to capitalize on this growing need by offering our customers the best of both worlds in a single DSP with optional radar acceleration for emerging 4D radar applications.”

Availability

Tensilica Vision DSPs support Cadence’s Intelligent System Design strategy, enabling SoC design excellence. The new Vision 331 DSP and Vision 341 DSP are available now, while the Vision 4DR accelerator will be in general availability in the second quarter of 2024. For more information on the Vision 331 DSP and Vision 341 DSP, please visit https://www.cadence.com/go/vision-331-pr or https://www.cadence.com/go/vision-341-pr. More information on the Vision 4DR accelerator can be found at https://www.cadence.com/go/vision-4dr-accelerator-pr

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to systems for the most dynamic market applications, including consumer, hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, industrial and healthcare. For nine years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Learn more at cadence.com.