Socionext introduces ISO26262 certified smart graphic display controllers

Socionext have announced a new series of smart display controllers, ‘SC1721/ SC1722/ SC1723 Series’, certified with ISO26262 for functional safety. Samples will be available at the end of July 2022.

The automotive industry is currently undergoing major transformations that occur approximately once every 100 years. The E/E (Electrical/Electronic) architecture, which is the system structure of automobiles, is changing from a distributed architecture to a domain/zone architecture. Automakers are adopting integrated cockpit systems linking multiple displays, such as meters, In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI), and head-up displays. Larger display size and screen resolution are also driving the demand for improved image quality. Due to the changes, complying with the ISO26262 functional safety standard is critical for new automotive ADAS and infotainment systems development. 

Socionext has been developing smart display controllers for automotive applications for many years. This fourth generation is equipped with an APIX^®3 SerDes-repeater function that allows daisy-chaining of multiple smart display controllers, enabling up to four display connections in a chain. Compared to the previous generation, this function greatly improves the wiring efficiency of the vehicle and facilitates the cooperation of multiple displays. In addition, the company's proprietary SEERIS™ 2D graphics IP is integrated with cutting-edge functions, such as LED control and pixel compensation by Local Dimming, and Warping-on-the-fly dynamic interpolation of the Warp Map. Socionext improves vehicle safety by adding a mechanism to monitor external LED driver error detection and internal algorithm, and supports functional safety (ASIL-B) by complying with the ISO26262 development process.

These features enable new architectures, such as panoramic displays for dashboards, to meet a growing trend of larger multi-display applications.