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Renesas Electronics Develops New Flash Memory Technology Achieving Larger Capacities, Faster Read Operation, and OTA Support in Automotive Microcontrollers Based on Next-Generation 28nm Process

TOKYO, Japan ― Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the development of a new flash memory technology that achieves larger memory capacities, higher readout speeds, and over-the-air (OTA) support for automotive microcontrollers (MCUs) using the next-generation 28nm process. This new technology achieves the industry’s largest capacity of embedded flash memory on an MCU – 24 MB – and reaches 240 MHz random access read speeds, the industry’s fastest for embedded flash memory. The technology also achieves low noise write operations when performing OTA wireless software updates, and high-speed and robust operation for OTA software updates.

Renesas presented these results on June 12 at the 2019 Symposia on VLSI Technology and Circuits in Kyoto, Japan, June 9-14, 2019.

Recently in leading-edge technologies used in car systems, such as autonomous driving and electric drive, there have been increasing demands for larger embedded flash memory capacities in the MCUs due to the increasing scale of the control software. The introduction of OTA technology accelerates the demand for larger capacities to assure adequate storage area for updated programs. Since it is necessary to assure real-time performance given the addition of new functions such as functional safety, faster random access read times from the flash memory are also strongly desired. Furthermore, regarding OTA, three things are now strongly desired. First is low-noise design so that the updated software can be stored reliably even when the car is operating. Second is reduced down time during the software switching. Third is robustness to avoid incorrect operations even if unintentional interruptions occur when updating or switching software.

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