STMicroelectronics and ARCCORE cooperate on automotive embedded processing development

Semiconductor leader STMicroelectronics and software company ARCCORE have announced a strategic cooperation that reduces the cost, risk and time to market for users developing embedded automotive systems based on the AUTOSAR framework.

AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) is a worldwide development partnership of vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and other companies from the electronics, semiconductor and software industries. The AUTOSAR members work together to develop common standards that facilitate the introduction of innovative automotive electronic systems and to implement them through cross-functional alliances with other members.

The new agreement brings together ST’s SPC5 family of 32-bit Power Architecture microcontrollers, developed for use in automotive electronic control units, and ARCCORE’s AUTOSAR development software. Under the terms of the agreement, ST customers will get access to ARCCORE’s comprehensive AUTOSAR development software for the SPC5 without any upfront costs, paying a licence fee only after the evaluation period.

“Customers can now explore, develop, optimise and industrialise innovative automotive applications that are fully compatible with AUTOSAR’s specifications but do not require initial software payments,” Luca Rodeschini, director strategic business development and microcontroller business unit, automotive and discrete product group, STMicroelectronics. “In addition, the licence fee, payable only when the project ends its evaluation phase, is substantially lower than existing solutions.”

ST’s Power Architecture-based 32-bit MCUs are suitable for high-reliability control applications, including engine control, transmission, antilock braking systems, electrically operated power steering, active suspension and ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems). ARCCORE’s development tools for AUTOSAR include the Arctic Core embedded-software platform, which comprises a real-time operating system, memory services, automotive communication services and the Arctic Studio Integrated Development Environment.

“Our agreement with ST goes beyond a traditional service-driven model towards a cooperation based on a shared product-support roadmap,” said Thomas Winkler, VP Europe, ARCCORE. “By getting early access to ST’s Automotive MCU know-how, we can provide SPC5 customers with the immediate advantage of a ready-made and market-proven methodology for easy and hurdle-free development of new AUTOSAR-compliant applications.”

The software is available now as a free download for project evaluation and development at http://www.arccore.com/resources/downloads.