New SoCs Presented at PCIM Europe Gun for Integration in EVs
Though PCIM Europe drew to a close last week, show attendees gave EV designers plenty to consider with several newly announced SoCs.
Advancements at the circuit level are driving the quest for fast charging, long-range, and efficient power management in electric vehicles (EVs). Now, new solutions from Intel, Leapmotor, Ambarella, and Navitas Semiconductor are addressing current EV challenges and contributing more user-friendly and sustainable solutions.
Intel's New SoC Reduces Costs and Simplifies EV Design
Silicon Mobility, an Intel company, recently released an SoC, OLEA U310, to simplify the EV design and production process by combining hardware for powertrain domain control with distributed software in one solution. The OLEA 310 FPCU can control an inverter, a motor, a gearbox, a DC-DC converter, and an onboard charger, managing various power and energy functions simultaneously.
Architecture of the OLEA U310 SoCs. Image used courtesy of Intel
Intel claims that early calculations report up to 5% improvement in energy efficiency, 25% motor downsizing for the same power, 35% less cooling, and up to 30x fewer components than existing EV architectures. In addition, the new SoC (product brief linked) also incorporates Intel's existing family of AI-enhanced software-defined vehicle (SDV) SoCs.
New Collaboration Offers SoCs for Intelligent Driving Systems
Leapmotor, an intelligent EV company, and Ambarella, an edge AI semiconductor company, recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement to create affordable and intelligent EVs. As a part of this agreement, Leapmotor will create intelligent driving solutions for passenger vehicles based on Ambarella's CV3-AD family of automotive AI domain SoCs. The CV3-AD SoCs are built on a 5-nm, automotive-grade process technology and are compliant with ASIL-B/D functional safety standards. They incorporate an image signal processor for low latency, low noise, and high dynamic range images in computer vision and human viewing. They also offer hardware AI acceleration and centralized fusion of raw LiDAR and millimeter-wave radar data while parallelly working on other algorithms and models.
Ambarella's CV3-AD in an autonomous vehicle. Image used courtesy of Ambarella
Leapmotor offers technical verification of the CV3-AD SoCs by installing them in new passenger vehicle models. The company has verified the specifications, performance, and reliability of these SoCs in intelligent EVs.
Navitas' Fast SiC MOSFETs for Charging EVs
Navitas Semiconductor has announced its new Gen-3 Fast (G3F) 650-V and 1,200-V SiC MOSFETs for applications in AI data center power supplies, onboard chargers (OBCs), fast EV roadside superchargers, and solar/energy-storage systems (ESS).
Navitas' third-generation Fast SiC MOSFETs. Image (modified) used courtesy of Navitas Semiconductor
The new family comes in packages from D2PAK-7 to TO-247-4, resulting in 20% lower channel resistance than competing devices. They have 100%-tested avalanche capability, 30% longer short-circuit withstand time, and strict threshold voltage distribution for paralleling. Navitas' 4.5 kW high-power density AI server PSU reference design leverages its GaNSafe power ICs for the LLC stage. These ICs also support 650-V-rated, 40 mΩ G3F FETs for the continuous conduction mode (CCM) totem pole power factor correction(PFC) topology, providing 138 W/inch3 power density and peak efficiency above 97%.
SoC Trends for EVs
Unlike gasoline engines with established, relatively cheap production methods, EVs rely on advanced batteries and electric motors. System-on-chips (SoCs), like Intel's new offering, provide a path to reduce these prices. They streamline control systems for the battery, motor, and charging, reducing the number of individual parts. Integrating multiple functions onto a single chip leads to more efficiency and lower costs for car manufacturers. SoCs like this could also improve overall EV performance by making these systems lighter and even more powerful.
Ambarella's offerings represent another trend toward artificial intelligence (AI)-powered SoCs, which can process vast amounts of data from various sensors, including cameras, radar, LiDAR, and ultrasonic sensors concurrently. This integration enables sophisticated decision-making algorithms to inform features such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous driving, and intelligent navigation. In addition, AI domain controller SoCs provide a more personalized and responsive driving experience. They offer adaptive features such as predictive maintenance to forecast and alert drivers about potential critical issues and customized infotainment systems that learn and adapt to driver preferences.
Finally, Navitas' new MOSFETs are just one of the many SiC- and GaN-based chips that provide advantages over traditional silicon-based technologies, particularly in high-power and high-frequency applications like EVs.
