ST has been serving customers in the automotive market for over 30 years and provides them with a range of products and solutions covering most applications in a typical vehicle. As the market has evolved, so has ST’s offering, a key part of which is automotive microcontrollers (MCUs).
ST pioneered embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) with ST10 and then introduced automotive microcontrollers with its SPC5 range based on PowerPC architecture, shipping more than one billion MCUs in automotive. Cost-effective automotive controllers from the STM8 family complemented this offer.
ST’s Stellar Family
ST’s latest generation of automotive microcontrollers is the Stellar family, which is the industry’s first Arm®-based portfolio that spans the entire automotive MCU spectrum, from low-end to high-end solutions. These advanced microcontrollers reduce complexity, ensure safety and security, and deliver optimal performance and efficiency of next-gen vehicle architectures and features. Customers can benefit from shorter development times and focus on bringing innovation and differentiation for their software-defined vehicles (SDVs) in this highly competitive market. For these reasons Stellar products are gaining momentum, particularly among our customers in Asia and Europe.
Stellar is the industry’s first family of emerging technologies after eFlash, representing the most mature and smallest memory cell automotive grade solution on the market. The Stellar family is optimized for electrification, including X-in-1 vehicle motion control computing, new vehicle architectures, zonal and domains, and safety MCUs for safety-critical subsystems, such as ADAS.
It fully supports automotive transformation by integrating multiple functions safely into a single device and allowing the continuous integration of new features in vehicles. This is made possible with key technologies, including a right choice of core technology, virtualization, Ethernet support and ground-breaking memory technology embedded in the automotive MCUs–a game changer for customers faces challenges with application memory sizing.
Stellar MCUs are based on Arm® Cortex®-R52+ technology. This high-performance processor delivers real-time virtualization support for time-critical secure and safety systems. It can run multiple applications simultaneously with freedom from interference. And thanks to fully programmable auxiliary cores it is possible to accelerate specific functions, such as routing, low power management, digital filtering while offloading the main cores.
“As the driver experience continues to evolve in the age of AI and software-defined vehicles, advancing automotive functional safety, flexibility and real-time performance capabilities is essential,” said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive Line of Business, Arm. “Built on Arm, the Stellar microcontroller family taps into the Arm compute platform’s advanced safety and real-time features, as well as the broad Arm software ecosystem. This enables car manufacturers to comply with strict safety regulations while implementing innovative features that keep them at the forefront of the automotive industry.”
Stellar MCUs enable the introduction of ethernet capabilities in vehicles and is the first ST MCU embedding an Ethernet switch. Thanks to Ethernet, data exchange is more efficient, and flexible, supporting the needed gigabit throughput, with a higher level of security. By supporting various in-vehicle communication topologies, such as Ethernet ring, automotive MCUs fulfill the promise of halving the length of the cross-car wiring cables and manufacturing costs.
Phase Change Memory is set to redefine what is possible in vehicle software
Stellar MCUs, with the embedded Phase Change Memory (PCM) technology and its flexibility, transform the process of Over-the-Air (OTA) updates. In the automotive industry, OTA updates are crucial for adding new features and safety or security patches without physical intervention. However, this flexibility often requires careful consideration of future memory needs, which can lead to increased costs and complex planning.
ST’s PCM innovation is no ordinary memory. Not only is it the industry’s smallest memory cell for automotive MCU, but it is pioneering a transformative breakthrough in automotive and set to redefine what is possible in vehicle software. Thanks to ST’s innovative PCM technology, memory capabilities are reaching a new level of sophistication. This is not just about memory performance. It is a forward-thinking solution that brings adaptability and lasting value to the automotive landscape enabling the final developers to continuously improve and upgrade functions.
As vehicles become increasingly software-defined, the ability to introduce new features and enhancements is essential. PCM’s groundbreaking technology will support the shift toward more adaptable, future-focused vehicles, giving automakers new ways to refine experiences as vehicles continue to advance.
Additionally, PCM delivers the ability to support uninterrupted OTA updates. PCM securely stores updates without impacting the vehicle’s current operations. Thanks to concurrent read and write capabilities, the new software download does not interfere with the application code already running on the MCU, ensuring continuous performance during the update process.
Stellar P, designed for the integration of multiple functions, and Stellar G, for the realization of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) zonal controllers, are two series leveraging ST’s internally developed eNVM. They are built on 28nm FD-SOI technology, allowing them to achieve maximum frequency with lower power consumption and enhanced radiation immunity. Stellar is the first 28nm product certified for functional safety and will enter production by the end of this year.
The Stellar family also enables the X-in-1 growing trend toward more affordable electromobility, with the decisive switch from fossil to electrically powered vehicles. X-in-1 powertrain solutions combine multiple components into a single ECU, allowing manufacturers to create efficient, compact, and cost-effective performing vehicles.
Stellar offers scalable X-in-1 implementation, accommodating a growing number of ECUs from low to high integration levels. This solution supports increasingly complex X-in-1 systems by providing enhanced availability of cores, analog components, and I/O capabilities.
“As a global leader in lithium-ion batteries, Sunwoda provides stable and reliable electronic system solutions for automotive suppliers worldwide. Our new collaboration with STMicroelectronics focuses on developing solutions using ST’s advanced Stellar microcontrollers and proprietary production processes, which primarily include battery management systems, and VDC/Zonal and body control functions. Together, we aim to provide intelligent solutions that enhance the next generation of energy vehicles in China and globally,” said Wang Mingwang, founder, Sunwoda.
2. FD-SOI technology to achieve the max possible frequency at the lower power consumption and to strengthen radiation immunity
3. New powerful over-the-air methodology and true EEPROM capabilities
4. A set of ethernet-related IPs (MAC, MACSec, switches) that enable distribution of high volume data, allow different topologies of in-vehicle communication, and reduce the vehicle manufacturing cost
5. Fully programmable auxiliary cores that accelerate specific functions such as routing, low power management, digital filtering while offloading the main cores
STM32 microcontrollers to enter automotive
As part of the expanded roadmap for automotive MCUs, ST will introduce its market-leading general-purpose STM32 microcontroller platform to the automotive sector. The STM32 platform is well recognized for its cost optimization, simplicity, and reliability. Augmented with automotive grade quality and safety, STM32A will achieve up to ASIL B standards. This platform will be designed to handle edge actuation, from the simplest functions to more sophisticated single tasks, all at optimized costs. It will be particularly well-suited for applications like motor control in vehicle systems, including windows, mirrors, and roofs.
Best of industrial and automotive worlds: towards converged future
Over time, the convergence of the industrial and automotive hardware and software platforms will combine the best of both worlds. Automotive brings strong security expertise and industrial is built on strong Internet of Things and artificial intelligence solutions. The converged future will share hardware technologies, cores, and a common ecosystem of tools and software support. Such convergence will enable customers to seamlessly transition between solutions, offering simplification and full scalability to innovate faster.
Edge AI technology is one example where we see what is being adopted now in industrial applications benefiting automotive in the future. Neural accelerator technology and the associated tools that enable developers to easily implement AI in their applications, whatever their level of data science expertise, will enhance automotive systems in the future. ST has spent approximately 10 years investing in the development of microcontrollers, smart sensors, and AI software tools to meet the needs of our customers and harness the power of edge AI.
While AI adoption in automotive—beyond autonomous driving—is still in its initial stages, there are emerging trends of promising use cases for system optimization, energy efficiency, and problem-solving. For example, virtual sensors can measure rotor temperatures, and predictive maintenance can ensure vehicle reliability. As the number of sensors in vehicles heavily increases, AI will play a key role in virtualizing many of them, further enhancing automotive performance. Security is another area where we see the convergence of industrial and automotive bringing significant benefits.
This future will be based on the most advanced and more efficient 18nm process technologies. ST’s advanced technology portfolio for automotive MCUs spans from 40 to 28 to 18nm, selected to optimize product performance and cost.
The benefits of the IDM model for our customers
As an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), ST develops fundamental semiconductor process technologies, creates core intellectual property (IP), designs products using these technologies and IP, and manufactures, tests and packages them using owned facilities or through partnerships. This brings several benefits for our customers:
- Processes designed and refined to meet the applications needs of our customers in various markets.
- IP blocks optimized for specific functions and systems, owned by ST.
- Manufacturing processes are optimized for key performance and yield through the tight teamwork between process, product, and operational teams.
- Control of manufacturing capacity and creation of flexible, reliable supply chains.
This is particularly important for our automotive customers.
An example of these benefits is the combination of FD-SOI and PCM technologies that ST has developed for its Stellar microcontrollers. ST was one of the key innovators in both technologies, working with partners to bring them to market. ST’s ability to master the technology and tailor it to automotive applications has resulted in products with unique benefits. ST’s implementation of PCM technology has allowed the creation of the smallest physical memory cell in the industry delivering 2x the memory density of alternatives.
Thanks to the high-energy efficiency, high reliability, and radiation immunity of this memory technology, ICs designed in FD-SOI with embedded PCM meet the most stringent requirements of automotive applications. ST’s PCM technology achieves automotive requirements for AEC-Q100 Grade 0 with an operating temperature up to +165°C. The patented technology supports high-temperature data retention, including during solder reflow, so firmware can be uploaded before soldering.
Ecosystem plays a key role for transformation
An extensive partner ecosystem from developer tools to specific libraries for safety, security, and data exchange and distribution, augmenting ST’s portfolio capabilities further complements this leading technology. This will also provide the necessary simplification, aiding our customers in their transformation journey towards software-defined vehicles.
“STMicroelectronics and Green Hills Software are working closely together to deliver innovative integrated hardware and software solutions that address the growing challenges automotive OEMs and Tier 1s face in next generation vehicle zonal architectures.” said Dan O’Dowd, Founder and CEO at Green Hills Software. “Green Hills production-proven safety-certified RTOS and tools, coupled with ST’s Stellar SR6’s unique communication IP, deliver advanced fault tolerant zonal networking that enables significant per-vehicle cost savings while reducing time-to-market.”
“With MICROSAR Classic, we enable our customers with safe and secure basic software for ECUs for a wide range of use cases. Thanks to many years of close cooperation with ST, the corresponding support for the new Stellar MCUs is already available,” says Jochen Rein, Director of the Product Line Embedded Software and Systems at Vector. “By integrating Stellar’s advanced hardware with Vector’s robust software, customers get the highest level of safety and reliability for both ADAS applications and to successfully manage the transition to Software-Defined Vehicles.”
“iSOFT is a leading developer of automotive operating systems in China and the premium partner of AUTOSAR for China’s infrastructure software. Since the introduction of its collaboration with ST in 2016, iSOFT has become ST MCAL agent in China. This includes multiple microcontrollers such as SPC58/SPC56/STM8A, and the companies will also engage in a deeper strategic cooperation on the newly introduced Stellar family that will support EasyXMen Open Source Operating System in the future.” Luo Tong, Vice President, iSOFT
“Neusoft Reach’s software platform, NeuSAR, leads the mass production of China’s full-stack “AUTOSAR +Middleware,” widely used in next-gen ADAS, chassis, power, and body control systems. Neusoft Reach provides complete solutions based on ST’s SPC5 and Stellar E series automotive MCU, including application/basic software, bootloader, refresh, and simulation, which will be complemented with the new gen of Stellar P and G series. Both companies will work together to create a higher level of automotive-grade software and hardware integrated solutions to help OEMs and tier 1s to bring efficient, personalized, and differentiated functions and accelerate SDV innovation.” Jipeng Wang, Director, NeuSAR CP Products BU, Neusoft Reach
Conclusion
By building on common foundations across product dimensions and focusing on robust automotive quality, ST serves a wide market with a comprehensive product range that is both “broad”—spanning from as low as 128 KB to 64 MB memory, single to multicore computation with virtualization—and “deep,” with each series tailored for specific functions: Stellar P and G series focus on integration, and STM32A will be optimized for value, targeting single-core applications that prioritize efficiency and simplicity.
ST’s expanded automotive microcontrollers roadmap focuses on helping its customers to reduce complexity, improve efficiency, while ensuring the highest security and safety standards for next-gen cars. It addresses electrification, personalization, automation, and connectivity.
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