Algorithm complexity
The increasing complexity of automotive electronic systems has had a dramatic effect on the throughput requirements and peripheral integration of automotive microcontrollers. Algorithms are now required to handle the inputs from many sensors and communications systems, execute real-time control cycles and control the outputs of many actuators.
Figure 3 illustrates the effect that this growing complexity has had on the physical characteristics of microcontrollers. Three generations of powertrain microcontroller are shown. In the space of three generations, the microcontroller has become around 100 times more powerful in terms of CPU throughput, the program memory (holding the algorithm) has grown 40 times bigger and the number of transistors on the chip has increased by a factor of 300. The powertrain application is by no means unique - many controller systems in the vehicle have kept pace with these developments and 32-bit RISC processors are being used for new generations of Airbag and ABS systems.
Algorithm complexity is also leading to the widespread implementation of operating systems. Although most operating systems are still developed in-house by the application specialists, the industry will migrate very quickly towards standardization of the operating system and network management. The OSEK/VDX operating system has been adopted by many as the open standard (OSEK is a German acronym for 'Offene Systeme und deren Schnittstellen fur die Elektronik im Kraftfahzeug'). This standard was developed specifically to decouple the application code (algorithm) from the network management tasks and avoid incompatibility problems between the application code and the hardware. It includes a standardized application programming interface, behavior and protocol. Implementation of OSEK/VDX should facilitate reusability and portability of software and predictable system behavior. It is expected that many automotive microcontrollers in the near future will be implemented with an OSEK operating system.
The increasing complexity of automotive electronic systems has had a dramatic effect on the throughput requirements and peripheral integration of automotive microcontrollers. Algorithms are now required to handle the inputs from many sensors and communications systems, execute real-time control cycles and control the outputs of many actuators.
Figure 3 illustrates the effect that this growing complexity has had on the physical characteristics of microcontrollers. Three generations of powertrain microcontroller are shown. In the space of three generations, the microcontroller has become around 100 times more powerful in terms of CPU throughput, the program memory (holding the algorithm) has grown 40 times bigger and the number of transistors on the chip has increased by a factor of 300. The powertrain application is by no means unique - many controller systems in the vehicle have kept pace with these developments and 32-bit RISC processors are being used for new generations of Airbag and ABS systems.
Algorithm complexity is also leading to the widespread implementation of operating systems. Although most operating systems are still developed in-house by the application specialists, the industry will migrate very quickly towards standardization of the operating system and network management. The OSEK/VDX operating system has been adopted by many as the open standard (OSEK is a German acronym for 'Offene Systeme und deren Schnittstellen fur die Elektronik im Kraftfahzeug'). This standard was developed specifically to decouple the application code (algorithm) from the network management tasks and avoid incompatibility problems between the application code and the hardware. It includes a standardized application programming interface, behavior and protocol. Implementation of OSEK/VDX should facilitate reusability and portability of software and predictable system behavior. It is expected that many automotive microcontrollers in the near future will be implemented with an OSEK operating system.
Figure 3 - Automotive microcontroller complexity
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