Flexible CPU Architecture to Handle Single- and Multi-core Applications in Embedded Automotive Systems

The enactment of very stringent safety and emissions regulations and the need for better fuel economy and greater functionality are driving the demand for higher performance in embedded microcontrollers targeted for the automotive electronics space.

The paper will examine a flexible new 32-bit core that addresses the three key challenges involved in the design of embedded automotive systems: how to maintain upward compatibility with existing cores while improving performance; how to strengthen a system so as to reduce the impact of software bugs on its stability; and how to support single and multi-core architectures.