FPGAs enhance functionality for automotive systems designs

Eliminating the need to write code in traditional RTL, Altera solutions accelerate design times and improve design productivity. The Altera SDK for OpenCL allows designers to target Cyclone V SoC FPGAs. The industry-standard software-based design flow reduces development time from months to days by allowing designers to use a familiar software programming language such as C instead of the traditional VHDL or Verilog. Engineers can also leverage Altera’s DSP Builder tool to develop algorithms in MATLAB/Simulink and port them to an FPGA without writing RTL code.

Compared to non-certified offerings, Altera offers 12-18 months of development time savings by targeting ISO 26262 certification for Altera’s Quartus II design tools, FPGAs and associated safety diagnostics IP. Cyclone V SoC FPGAs feature 16- and 32-bit DDR memory interfaces with hardened ECC, providing the lowest latency and highest reliability memory interfaces critical to embedded vision and video processing applications.

At the event, Altera is also introducing what is claimed to be the first AUTOSAR version 4.0.3 MCU abstraction layer solution for programmable logic. Available for Cyclone V SoC FPGAs, the MCU abstraction layer was developed with an ISO 26262 ASIL B compliant safety-level methodology. This provides a streamlined foundation for our customers to rapidly innovate and differentiate their safety-critical applications.

Dan McNamara, Vice President, Automotive, Industrial and Broadcast business units, Altera, comments: "Altera is committed to increasing automotive design productivity by offering flexible hardware and software solutions to the automotive industry. Our full portfolio of AEC-Q100-certified FPGAs, CPLDs and FPGA-optimised Enpirion power solutions are designed to save customers months of design time."

See Altera in Booth #313 at SAE Convergence 2014.