NXP Development Platform Shines Bright with a Promising Future

NXP has unveiled the OrangeBox, an automotive-grade development platform that combines a variety of wireless technologies, such as broadcast radio, WiFi 6, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband (UWB), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as well as V2X based on 802.11p.

OrangeBox is a single, secure, and modular platform that acts as a bridge between a vehicle’s gateway and its wireless capabilities. This means cars can now interact securely with their surroundings.

Modern cars rely more and more on wireless tech for everything from entertainment to safety. However, the spread of these functions throughout a vehicle’s architecture can create issues, especially as more connectivity features are added and the risk of cyber-attacks increases.

The OrangeBox platform consolidates all these wireless interfaces into one secure system, which then connects to the vehicle’s gateway via high-speed Ethernet. This approach makes developing and managing these systems easier, enhances data security, and supports the deployment of V2X and cloud-based applications like over-the-air software updates.

Designed to be flexible, OrangeBox allows manufacturers to adapt to different regional requirements for cellular and V2X connectivity and easily update the system as technologies evolve. This results in faster time-to-market, less complexity, and a complete system ready for application deployment.

Dan Loop, a vice president at NXP, highlighted that “by centralizing automotive wireless tech into one domain controller with a high-speed link to the vehicle gateway, we create a streamlined connection between the vehicle and the outside world. This can reduce costs and simplify development while ensuring secure connectivity for data-driven vehicles.”

OrangeBox includes various technologies like an applications processor, a software-defined radio tuner, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth. It also features secure car access via BLE and UWB, and supports 4G LTE or 5G cellular networks and GPS connectivity. These are secured by EdgeLock discrete secure elements, making it easier for automakers to apply cloud-managed security measures like firewalls to data traffic in and out of the vehicle.

At its core, OrangeBox uses an i.MX 8XLite processor running a unified Linux-based platform to manage wireless connections in the car. It connects to the central vehicle gateway via Gigabit Ethernet, enabling other automotive systems to easily benefit from integrated wireless connectivity.

The OrangeBox platform is expected to be available to customers in the first half of next year.