Discovering the Unknown: We Are Not Alone
Jatinder Singh from Lattice Semiconductor explains how FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) can help bridge mobile interfaces in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and automotive infotainment systems (AIS).
In the car industry, like any other, competition sparks innovation. Over the past century, this innovation has turned the simple horseless carriage into a vital and widespread tool of modern life.
Cars were traditionally seen as mechanical devices, but ongoing innovation has increasingly turned them into electronic systems. A clear example of this is the rapid shift towards electric vehicles. But just as significant is how in-car entertainment has evolved from basic radios and tape decks to sophisticated infotainment systems. More recently, we’ve also seen the arrival of ADAS, which enhances driver safety with advanced electronic systems.
Interestingly, a lot of recent automotive innovation has been driven by the consumer electronics market, especially the rise of smartphones. With the smartphone becoming nearly universal, car makers have had to quickly adapt.
For decades, car entertainment systems were based on radio, tapes, or CDs. By the time the iPhone launched in 2007, some infotainment systems existed but were limited and pricey. The smartphone changed everything by introducing a platform and app ecosystem that car makers couldn’t control. Key apps like Google Maps revolutionized the driving experience by offering turn-by-turn directions, while music apps allowed drivers to access millions of songs instead of being limited to the radio or CDs.
Smartphones accelerated existing trends in the automotive industry, pushing car entertainment systems to become full-fledged AIS, designed to entertain and inform. Simultaneously, car manufacturers were developing ADAS technologies like automatic braking, lane detection, and 360-degree parking views to enhance driver safety.
To power both AIS and ADAS, car manufacturers have turned to mobile technology. The processors and systems used in smartphones are ideal for these applications due to their compact size, low power consumption, and ability to operate in a wide temperature range. Moreover, high production volumes make these processors cost-effective for car makers.
However, there are challenges with this approach. Cars and smartphones have different design cycles—nine to 18 months for smartphones versus three or more years for cars. This means a smartphone processor might become obsolete before the car it’s designed for even hits the market. Video is another challenge; while smartphones typically support two cameras, AIS and ADAS might need to handle video from four or more cameras and additional sensors.
Despite these challenges, the trend of using more powerful processors for advanced automotive systems is likely to continue. More cameras and screens will likely be added to cars in the next decade. Therefore, car manufacturers will try to adapt existing mobile processors for automotive use. This creates a need for flexibility to bridge the gap between mobile processors and automotive applications.
FPGAs are well-suited for these bridging applications. Modern FPGAs can provide the necessary flexibility to adapt mobile processors for automotive use, ensuring that cars can benefit from the latest technology initially developed for smartphones.
