Vehicle Processor with 16 Cortex Real-Time Cores Unveiled at Embedded World

NXP recently unveiled a cutting-edge real-time processor designed specifically for vehicle central control computers. This innovative processor boasts 16 1.2GHz Arm Cortex-R52 processors, offering unparalleled performance and efficiency for automotive applications.

One of the key features of this new processor is its hardware isolation and virtualization capabilities. These features enable the sharing of on-die hardware resources among different code blocks without any interaction, facilitating the consolidation of cross-vehicle electronic control units in vehicle central compute applications. According to NXP, this allows for independent management of vehicle functions, including fault handling, reset, and over-the-air software updates.

The new processor, known as the S32N55, is the first of a forthcoming S32N family of compatible processors with varying capabilities. With software-defined, hardware-enforced isolation, the S32N55 can accommodate numerous vehicle functions with different criticality levels while ensuring freedom from interference between them.

For enhanced safety and reliability, the Cortex-R52 cores in the processor can operate in split or lock-step mode, supporting functional safety levels up to ISO 26262 ASIL D. Additionally, the inclusion of two auxiliary pairs of lockstep Cortex-M7 cores for system and communication management, along with 48MB of tightly-coupled RAM for low-latency accesses, further enhances the processor's capabilities.

Security is a top priority for NXP, and the S32N55 processor is equipped with a firewalled hardware security engine that provides a root-of-trust for secure boot, security services, and key management. The processor also features memory error correction and in-line cryptography to ensure robust functional safety and security. Memory expansion options include LPDDR4X/5/5X DRAM, LPDDR4X flash, and NAND/NOR flash interfaces.