Platform enables mixed-signal automotive products to self-test

Furthermore, this self-checking achieves high fault coverage within a short operational time to meet system-level requirements. Renesas designers easily incorporated DFTMAX LogicBIST into their flow with minimal effort, and included Synopsys SpyGlass DFT ADV technology to increase fault coverage. In collaboration with Synopsys, Renesas certified DFTMAX LogicBIST according to Part 8 of the ISO 26262 functional safety standard, enabling deployment on automotive designs.

"Our mixed-signal automotive designs require a power-on self-test solution that uses minimal silicon area, and provides high fault coverage for the digital logic to ensure functional safety," said Akira Omichi, Senior Manager of the Automotive Analogue Strategy Planning Department, Automotive Analogue Business Division, Automotive Solution Business Unit at Renesas Electronics. "DFTMAX LogicBIST meets these requirements, even for designs with a relatively small amount of digital logic, and is easy to deploy with a user-friendly hardware interface. We plan to deploy it on the digital portion of our mixed-signal, LSI designs moving forward."

In recent years, automobile manufacturers have been advancing and rapidly deploying electronic advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to aid drivers and reduce accidents. Since failures in these systems may lead to unacceptable consequences, automakers work with their suppliers to increase integrated circuit (IC) quality, reliability and functional safety.

DFTMAX LogicBIST provides a safety mechanism, a key requirement noted in the widely adopted ISO 26262 automotive functional safety standard, to detect and flag faults that could potentially cause failures. Use of DFTMAX LogicBIST, and following best engineering practices, minimises the risk of failures impacting the functional safety elements of automotive ICs.

"We appreciate our recent, constructive engagement with Renesas. Their deployment of DFTMAX LogicBIST validates its usefulness and effectiveness for automotive designs. In general, DFTMAX LogicBIST enables designers to meet system-level requirements by achieving high fault coverage within a short time," said Amit Sanghani, Vice President of test automation in Synopsys' Design Group. "We are committed to help designers meet the unique test requirements for automotive and achieve compliance with the ISO 26262 standard."