Flexible Microcontroller Solutions for Automotive Applications

Next-generation automotive electronic systems need highly specialized, cost-optimized devices to meet market requirements. Considering the dramatic increase in development costs for state-of-the-art process technologies, specialization of traditional microcontrollers no longer makes business sense. Neither do feature-rich devices targeted at broad-base markets, as they are often too expensive. 

In Altera-enabled flexible microcontroller unit (MCU) applications, the Nios II embedded processor uses a standard RISC architecture. If needed, higher performance can be achieved by using multiple Nios processor instances, adding custom instructions, or using the award wining C-to-Hardware (C2H) acceleration compiler utility that can optimize C-language code with automatically built and instantiated hardware accelerators. Figure 1 shows an automotive infotainment platform that features multiple subsystems and scalable interfaces and functions.

Figure 1. Automotive Infotainment Platform using Microcontrollers

Platform ASSP Replacement Infotainment System (PARIS)

Altera’s PARIS platform provides a vertically integrated hardware, intellectual property (IP), and software development environment. PARIS enables you to easily emulate Infotainment applications without the need to re-create hardware or manage multiple IP and software environments. 

The benefits of designing with the PARIS platform include a simplified master license agreement for all IP, the assurance that hardware, IP, and software is plug-and-play compatible, and a vertically integrated design solution that leverages Altera^® FPGAs. Altera's platform approach creates a hardware and software ecosystem that extends to the application layer. With the PARIS platform, you can modify device IP attributes and the human machine interface (HMI) skins shown to potential clients. Figure 2 shows the PARIS platform.

Figure 2. PARIS Platform

Table 1 shows partner solutions on the PARIS platform.

Implementing a Microcontroller in an FPGA

Because the complexity of an automotive microcontroller system is much higher than a pure graphics controller, the FPGA is used as the prototyping logic in most cases. Prototyping with an FPGA dramatically minimizes the development risk because it offers opportunities for comprehensive verification, firmware development, and field testing. Also, by using an FPGA for prototyping, you can run the device in-system to exercise it using a real-world situation, allowing identification of potential design flaws that may not have been detected during simulation.

New features and functionalities may also be required that were not part of the original specification (refer to Figure 2). Whether to fix previously undiscovered flaws or to add new features, prototypes with FPGAs can be modified quickly, without large nonrecurring engineering costs or long manufacturing cycles.

Figure 2. FPGA to ASIC Integration Allows Ramping Up Controller Performance and Features (Lower Axis)

Altera’s automotive solutions include a variety of reference designs (some include full GUI and OS support), simple design examples, development kits (see Table 1), intellectual property (IP) cores (including Nios II, 32-bit embedded processors, controller area network (CAN), media oriented system transport (MOST), FlexRay, a wide variety of digital signal processing (DSP)/video/image processing building blocks, and more), all supported by a single, integrated, and low-cost design flow through Quartus^® II software.

Note:

1. You can also port the design from Stratix II FPGAs to Cyclone III FPGAs via Altera’s Quartus II software.

Related Links

• Automotive-Grade Device Handbook (PDF)
• SOPC Builder (connect system blocks and peripherals automatically)
• RoHS-Compliant Device Support
• Flexible Microcontroller Solution White Paper (PDF)
• Nios II Embedded Processor
• HardCopy ASICs