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Quadcore, fast graphic-data crunching SoC for automotive infotainment systems

Date: 25/03/2013
Renesas Electronics and Renesas Mobile have launched a new member of the R-Car Series of automotive Systems-on-Chip (SoCs). R-Car H2 with 25,000 DMIPS of processing power designed to handle 3D graphics processing in high-end multimedia and navigation automotive systems. Quad-core R-Car H2 has ARM CortexA-15 and ARM CortexA-7 architectured using big.LITTLE processing technique.

Renesas says powerful media hardware accelerators enable features like 4 × HD 1080p video en/decoding including Blu-Ray support at 60 frames per second, image/voice recognition and high-resolution 3D graphics with almost no CPU load. These implemented hardware modules also execute the display content improvements needed for human-machine interface (HMI)/navigation data in parallel to Movie/DVD handling.

The R-Car H2 also features the Imagination Technologies PowerVR Series6 G6400 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). This is the first worldwide implementation of the GPU into an automotive SoC, claims Renesas. This GPU supports open technologies like OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenGL ES 3.0 and OpenCL standards.

Renesas' IMP-X4 core, implemented in R-Car H2 as an optional feature, provides real-time image processing that enables developers to support the emerging trend of augmented reality. In order to fully benefit from the IMP-X4 core, the R-Car H2 also supports up to four independent input camera channels, allowing easy implementations of 360° camera views and image recognition, just an example of the possible driver assistance functions, explains Renesas. OpenCV support for IMP-X4 will also be offered.

The R-Car H2 features dedicated CPU and IP caches and is equipped with two independent DDR3-1600 32-bit interfaces.

The R-Car H2 integrates advanced automotive interfaces like Ethernet AVB, MOST-150 and CAN and mass storage interfaces like SATA, USB3.0/2.0, SDcard and PCI Express for system expansion. As a device option, the GPS baseband engine handles all modern navigation standards. 24-bit DSP for codec is also featured.

“1st generation R-Car series products are well accepted in the car infotainment market” said Ryuji Omura, Executive Manager, Renesas Electronics Corporation. “To cover various customer demands, 2nd generation of R-Car, such as R-Car H2, aimed at the further expansion of Eco-system with a number of our partners including embedded OS, middleware and Tool vendors.”

The R-Car H2 is designed to implement real-time features such as quick-boot, backup camera support, and media processing, parallel to the execution of advanced operating systems such as QNX Neutrino RTOS, Windows Embedded Automotive or Linux.

“Renesas and QNX Software Systems have had a long and successful relationship in helping automotive customers deliver state-of-the-art infotainment systems,” said John Wall, vice president, engineering services, QNX Software Systems. “The new R-Car H2 automotive SoC demonstrates why we value Renesas so highly as a partner—it reflects a deep understanding of customer requirements and addresses performance requirements of next-generation infotainment systems. We look forward to having the QNX CAR™ application platform supported by the R-Car H2.”

“The R-CAR H2 brings together a powerful multi-domain architecture to meet the demands of high-end next generation Automotive Infotainment Systems,” said Glenn Perry, General Manager of the Embedded Software Division at Mentor Graphics. “We look forward to working with Renesas, Automotive Tier One Suppliers and OEMs to deliver optimized Linux-based Infotainment Platforms for the application domain and a high performance solution for the real-time domain based on the widely adopted Nucleus RTOS.”

“The collaboration with Renesas offers Elektrobit (EB) customers a ready-to-use solution for future automotive HMI development, through one of the worldwide leading systems on chips (SoC) platforms for next-generation car infotainment systems. The integrated GPU (Graphic processing unit) is suitable for demanding 3D graphics applications; it offers one of the best graphical performances in the embedded market”, said Martin Schleicher, Vice President Infotainment Products, Elektrobit.

Availability: Samples of the Renesas R-Car H2 SoC are available now in a 831-pin FCBGA (flip chip ball grid array) package. Mass production is scheduled for mid-2014. (Availability is subject to change without notice.)