NXP Expands Radar One-Chip Family to Advance Software-Defined Vehicles for ADAS
Jan 13, 2024: NXP Semiconductors has unveiled an extension of its automotive radar one-chip family, introducing the SAF86xx that facilitates advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) architectures for software-defined vehicles. The SAF86xx integrates a high-performance radar transceiver, a multi-core radar processor, and a MACsec hardware engine for secure data communication over Automotive Ethernet.
This highly integrated System-on-Chip (SoC) is designed to stream rich low-level radar sensor data at speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s. The SAF86xx supports carmakers in optimizing next-gen ADAS partitioning for software-defined vehicles, providing a seamless transition to new architectures. The radar SoC enables Over-the-Air (OTA) updates, allowing OEMs to introduce new software-defined radar features during the vehicle’s lifetime.
Sharing a common architecture with the SAF85xx introduced last year, the SAF86xx utilizes 28 nm RFCMOS performance, enhancing radar sensor capabilities compared to prior-generation products. The technology allows Tier-1 suppliers to build more compact and power-efficient radar sensors, extending the detection range beyond 300 m and improving the detection of small objects and vulnerable road users.
Automotive electronics supplier HELLA plans to leverage NXP’s SoC family for its 7th generation radar portfolio, covering front, rear, corner, and side radar applications. Dr. Dietmar Stapel, Vice President, Radar Program Management at HELLA, expressed confidence in expanding their market position and offering radar solutions for all relevant radar-supported functions, up to level 4 automated driving.
The SAF86xx supports NCAP safety functions, including emergency braking and blind-spot detection, and facilitates advanced ADAS and autonomous driving applications. This includes comfort features for SAE levels 2+ and 3, such as traffic jam assist, highway pilot, park assist, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, as well as lateral and rear collision avoidance.
Steffen Spannagel, SVP and GM, ADAS, NXP Semiconductors, highlighted that the SAF86xx radar one-chip family enables OEMs to migrate current radar platforms to new software-defined vehicle architectures swiftly. The family, including SAF86xx and SAF85xx, is designed to be adaptable for individual OEM use cases, supporting various sensor outputs for smart sensors in current architectures and streaming sensors in future distributed architectures.
Built on NXP’s proven RFCMOS automotive radar expertise, the SAF86xx complies with ISO 26262 Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) methodology, supporting ASIL Level B. It also aligns with ISO/SAE 21434 (as a component-out-of-context) and meets the latest security requirements through its HSE security engine.
