Renesas Embraces Chiplets for Automotive Processors

Renesas, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, has announced its plans to incorporate chiplets into its next generation of automotive processors. These chiplets will be utilized in System-on-Chips (SoCs) and potentially in automotive microcontrollers as well.

While Renesas has provided limited information about its upcoming 5th generation 'R-Car' product range, it is speculated that chiplets may be used in the case of microcontrollers. The first samples of the 5th generation R-Car are expected to be available late next year, with cars incorporating these processors set to hit the market in 2027.

Chiplets are essentially individual dies that are integrated into multi-die packages. By transitioning from a single large die to multiple smaller dies, chiplets enhance product yield. In Renesas' case, these chiplets could potentially include an AI accelerator, which can be reused in other chiplet-based Integrated Circuits (ICs).

This technology also enables the combination of dies manufactured using different optimization processes. For instance, memory and processor logic can be integrated together. Additionally, it allows for the integration of dies from different manufacturers. During a presentation, Renesas did not rule out the possibility of incorporating AI accelerator dies from third-party suppliers into its 5th generation R-Car products.

Renesas has confirmed that all of its 5th generation R-Car products will be Arm-based. Furthermore, the range of processing capabilities offered by these ICs will be broader than what is currently available in the 4th generation ICs, which are currently in production.

To expand the performance range at the high end, the 5th generation R-Car SoCs (microprocessors) will feature significantly higher AI performance compared to the 4th generation SoCs. On the other hand, Renesas plans to introduce software and tool-compatible R-Car microcontrollers for simpler control tasks at the low end. Additionally, they are developing a "crossover MCU" to bridge the performance gap between these compatible MCUs and the 5th generation R-Car SoCs.

The "crossover MCU series" is designed to meet the performance requirements of domain and zone electronic control units in next-generation automotive architectures. Renesas also intends to provide a virtual software development environment aligned with the industry's "shift left" approach. These software tools will enable customers to design and test software earlier in the development process, even before the hardware is available. The scheduled release for these tools is the first quarter of 2024.

Electronics Weekly has reached out to Renesas to inquire about the potential use of chiplets in the crossover MCUs and the R-Car MCU.