MCUs improve safety for automotive chassis systems

Simplifying safety design for automotive chassis systems, the MCUs, introduced by Renesas, are certified to ASIL-D standards. The MONOS structure enables fast data read performance and low power consumption (claimed to be approximately half that of earlier Renesas products). This allows a single power supply with integrated core voltage generation regulator and a standard QFP package to be used.

For applications requiring a high fault-detection rate and short control cycles, the RH850/P1x MCUs integrate a variety of fault-detection functions: the CPU employs a lockstep2 system; an ECC function detects and corrects data errors affecting memory; and other fault-detection functions allow system-level diagnostics of the timers, ADC, serial communication and other modules. There is also a built-in self-test function which detects faults affecting the fault-detection functions themselves. When an error signal is received, the ECU can set an error pin output, generate interrupts or resets, helping to ensure safety and reliability.

The 32-bit MCUs incorporate two enhanced motor control timers designed to improve the motor control performance of chassis systems. The devices include a CAN protocol engine and RS-CAN for serial communications which increases the number of transmit and receive message buffers while making the buffers easier to use.

The RH850/P1x series MCUs are sampling now, with mass production of 3,000,000 units per month expected in 2016.