STMicroelectronics Stellar E automotive microcontrollers

Click2Contact

STMicroelectronics has unveiled its automotive microcontrollers (MCUs) optimised for electric vehicles and centralised (domain and zonal) electronic architectures. They are designed to help EVs to drive further and charge faster.

In current EVs, high-efficiency SiC-based (silicon carbide) power modules enable the greatest driving range and fastest charging. Until now, they have required dedicated high-speed signal processors to control the advanced SiC power semiconductors. ST’s Stellar E MCUs, designed for the next generation of software-defined EVs, integrate high-speed control-loop processing on-chip. One MCU can control the entire module: this simplifies the module design and eases compliance with automotive safety and security standards.

As a powerful, centralised domain and zone controller, the Stellar family is designed to simplify automotive electrical architectures for increased power, flexibility and safety. The architecture integrates multiple Arm Cortex cores that deliver high performance with the opportunity for lock-step redundancy and support real-time hardware virtualisation. All devices are designed for software upgradeability through secure over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The MCUs are said to enable state-of-the-art electrification while ensuring efficient energy management and software-defined flexibility for vehicle life cycle management. Sensing the environment, controlling vehicle dynamics, enhancing power-conversion efficiency and safely managing high-current power stages are effectively handled in a single component. The ability to update software securely over the air lets manufacturers refine their control strategies for extra driving range, performance and power efficiency.

For more information: https://www.st.com/en/automotive-microcontrollers/stellar-actuation-mcus.html.