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16-bit MCUs Target Car Actuator and Sensor Control

Renesas Electronics has announced two new microcontrollers (MCUs) designed for automotive actuator and sensor control applications supporting embedded designs n in next-generation electronic and electrical (E/E) architecture. With the new RL78/F24 and RL78/F23, Renesas expands its RL78 Family of low-power 16-bit MCUs and strengthens its broader automotive portfolio, offering customers what it calls highly reliable, high-performance solutions for systems ranging from actuators to zone control.

With E/E architecture extending to include zone and domain control applications, control mechanisms are evolving to accommodate body control for automotive systems such as lights, windows, and mirrors; motor control for engine pumps and fans; and multiple sensor control. Moving forward, high-speed and secure connectivity with zone and domain controllers will be mission critical for edge electronic control units (ECUs). Renesas’ next-generation RL78/F24 and RL78/F23 MCUs address changing technology demands for actuator and sensor control with enhanced security, rich connectivity, and functional safety capabilities. The new devices support the CAN FD high-speed communication protocol (RL78/F24) and EVITA-Light security and are optimized for systems targeting ASIL-B levels under the ISO 26262 functional safety standard.

The future of automotive systems design lies in a vehicle-centralized, zone-oriented E/E architecture, and that shift is sparking higher demand for more advanced functionality and better performance in actuator controller applications, says Renesas. The new RL78/F24 and RL78/F23 MCUs deliver up to approximately 70 percent faster operating frequencies than the previous generation, which can more than double the performance in brushless motor control (BLDC) applications. Renesas also enhanced the hardware accelerator and timer functions for motor control and added a 12-bit A/D converter, offering customers the enhanced functionality and performance levels they demand.

Key Features of RL78/F24 and RL78/F23 MCUs

  • 40 MHz operating frequency
  • Supports several connectivity interfaces, including CAN FD (RL78/F24), LIN, SPI, and I2C
  • EVITA-Light support security functionality (support for AES-128/192/256 encryption algorithms)
  • Pin compatible with the RL78/F14 and RL78/F13 MCUs with the same power efficiency
  • On-chip flash memory capacity of 128 KB or 256 KB
  • Package lineup ranging from compact 5 × 5 mm 32-pin QFN to 100-pin QFP
  • Support for high temperatures up to 150°C
  • RL78/F24 Target Board and RL78/F24 12V Motor Control Evaluation System Starter Kit  soon to be released for RL78/F24 (under development)

Samples of the RL78/F24 and RL78/F23 MCUs will be available starting April 2022, and are scheduled to enter mass production in the second half of 2023.

Renesas Electronics | www.renesas.com

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16-bit MCUs Target Car Actuator and Sensor Control

by Circuit Cellar Staff time to read: 2 min