Infineon’s new PSOC 4 integrates local processing for advanced EV battery management

Infineon Technologies AG has introduced the PSOC 4 HVPA-SPM 1.0, a cutting-edge automotive-grade microcontroller specifically engineered to enhance intelligence, precision, and safety in high-voltage Li-ion battery management systems for electric vehicles. This innovative device is designed to support the evolving zonal architectures and the trend towards Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV), with the primary goal of simplifying EV system development while simultaneously enhancing performance and efficiency.

As the automotive industry races towards SDVs, a key question arises: how can automotive OEMs decentralize Battery Management System (BMS) intelligence to expedite development processes and unlock greater performance flexibility at the battery edge? For readers of eeNews Europe interested in electric vehicle power systems, this release highlights a significant trend - the integration of more intelligence at the battery edge to reduce system complexity and better align with next-generation vehicle architectures.

Enhancing intelligence at the battery edge

The PSOC 4 HVPA-SPM 1.0 is equipped with advanced features such as high-precision current, voltage, and temperature monitoring to enable more precise State-of-Charge (SoC) and State-of-Health (SoH) calculations. This microcontroller, fully compliant with ASIL D (ISO 26262) standards, is specifically designed for the safety-critical environment of high-voltage battery packs in xEVs. Its Arm® Cortex®-M0+ core facilitates rapid local processing of battery parameters, reducing the computational burden on the central Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and assisting OEMs in designing smarter zonal architectures.

Infineon appears to advocate for this edge-intelligent approach as a means to accelerate development timelines while providing greater system flexibility. By dispersing intelligence across the battery domain, automakers can fine-tune performance, safety protocols, and signal processing without the need to overhaul central software stacks. This level of programmability and precision is poised to offer a significant advantage for developers navigating increasingly stringent time-to-market demands.

Collaboration with Munich Electrification

In a bid to drive adoption, Infineon has partnered with Munich Electrification to combine the microcontroller with Munich Electrification’s Smart Edge BMS Software. This collaboration aims to deliver an integrated, cost-effective BMS platform that merges Infineon’s semiconductor hardware with Munich Electrification’s software expertise.

According to the announcement, “Teaming up with Munich Electrification is another demonstration of Infineon’s Drive Core Strategy in action.” As part of this strategy, Infineon emphasizes the integration of its semiconductor portfolio with Drive Core software bundles co-developed with ecosystem partners to streamline automotive software development.

Munich Electrification brings extensive domain knowledge in battery management algorithms, system optimization, and integration workflows to the table, enabling automakers to more effectively meet regulatory requirements and expedite EV development. The joint solution is anticipated to reduce system complexity, enhance functional safety, and support the global shift towards sustainable electric mobility.