Test & Measurement

Fujitsu Announces First Single-Chip Solution for Automotive Hybrid Instrument Cluster with Secure Hardware Extension (SHE)

16th April 2013
ES Admin
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Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe today announced the expansion of its scalable line-up for automotive instrument clusters, which offers everything from MCUs for traditional clusters to 3D graphics for on-chip systems (SoCs), and is capable of driving both virtual and freely programmable clusters. MB9EF226 – nick-named ‘Titan’ – is the newest member of Fujitsu’s FCR4 family, which is based on the well-established ARM Cortex-R4 core. The MCU provides intelligent support for up to six traditional gauges plus the 2D graphics engine ‘IRIS’, enabling it to drive a colour display in the same cluster. By including a Secure Hardware Extension (SHE) module, it also offers customers first-class security, since the module is completely implemented in hardware.

Fujitsu’s new MCU will enable innovative driver information systems with an enhanced function set, capable of running more sophisticated software solutions and supporting the AUTOSAR specification. ‘Titan’ has also been optimized to perform well in terms of key industry benchmarks such as safety, security and power consumption. Developed at Fujitsu’s MCU Competence Centre in Langen near Frankfurt, the MCU is designed to operate as a single-chip solution for hybrid instrument clusters featuring graphics and gauges.

With a core operating at up to 128 MHz, ‘Titan’ offers more than 200 DMIPS of processing power, plus 2 MB of flash memory and 208 KB of RAM. The MCU will be supplied as an LQFP-176 package. The MediaLB interface supports applications such as the transfer of graphics data from another electronic control unit (e.g. sat nav) to ‘Titan’.

‘Titan’ – shouldering leading-edge automotive technology for hybrid instrument clusters with security
As implemented on ‘Titan’, Fujitsu’s 2D graphics engine ‘IRIS’ consists of a display output with TCON – supporting four display layers and allowing pixel clocks up to 40 MHz – a command sequencer that permits the CPU and ‘IRIS’ to run in parallel, a signature unit offering support for security aspects and the 2D graphics core itself. The engine is optimised for low memory usage: as one example, a typical sequence of operations would be the parallel scaling, rotation and decompression of different bitmaps as the first step and then the blending of these bitmaps into a single output entity as the second step – thus avoiding the need for intermediate storage. ‘Titan’ also offers additional device security, including secure handling of the trace and JTAG ports plus flash memory features.

The Secure Hardware Extension is a cryptographic module that complies with the specification of the HIS (Herstellerinitiative Software) Consortium, of which Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen are members. The hardware-implemented SHE module embedded in ‘Titan’ lets Tier 1 automotive suppliers and car manufacturers set up countermeasures to guard against software manipulation of electronic control units or even the theft of these units. Initial applications using this cryptographic unit will include immobiliser/key-less entry systems, feature activation and remote services such as remote diagnostics or software updates.

Availability and software support
Initial samples of the MB9EF226 ‘Titan’ MCU are now available. Fujitsu will also be supplementing these devices with dedicated boards, software examples and the AUTOSAR MCAL (versions 3.x and 4.x). For ‘IRIS’, an API is available that supports functions such as drawing filled rectangles and lines. As is the case for all other devices in the cluster line-up, ‘Titan’ is supported by CGI Studio, Fujitsu’s unique software development platform for 2D and 3D graphical interfaces.

For datasheet click here.

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