A Look at ST64UWB SoCs from STMicroelectronics featuring UWB Technology with 802.15.4ab Standard for Automotive and Consumer Applications

STMicroelectronics is offering range of ultra-wideband (UWB) system-on-chip solutions called the ST64UWB family that support the IEEE 802.15.4z standard and the upcoming IEEE 802.15.4ab specification, including multi-millisecond ranging (MMS) with narrow-band assistance radio (NBA).

UWB technology transmits very short radio pulses over a wide frequency band to enable centimeter-level distance accuracy and low-latency updates, even in complex outdoor environments. It is used for precise ranging, positioning, real-time location, secure detection, and performance in harsh radio frequency conditions.

The ST64UWB portfolio includes three devices: ST64UWB-A100, ST64UWB-A500, and ST64UWB-C100. These chips are built on ST’s 18 nm FD-SOI process technology, which provides a link budget improvement of nearly 3 dB compared to standard bulk technologies and extends range by roughly 50% beyond the gains from the IEEE 802.15.4ab standard alone.

The ST64UWB-A100 and ST64UWB-A500 target automotive applications. The ST64UWB-A100 supports digital key and vehicle localization (“find my car”) through optimized UWB + narrowband (NB) distance ranging. The ST64UWB-A500 adds radar sensing capabilities via UWB + NB + radar, enabling child presence detection (CPD), in-cabin protection, and other functions such as kick sensing or parking sensors. It includes AI a...