Actel

Fall 2007

innovative programmable logic solutions

Actel Delivers Industry's First
AEC-Q100,
Grade 1 FPGAs

Leveraging Advanced Flash Technology for the Most Demanding Applications

AEC-Q100, Grade 1 qualification now enables FPGA technology to move beyond in-cabin telematics and infotainment applications into system-critical applications such as powertrain, engine control modules, and safety systems. Automotive ProASIC3 devices are ideally suited to address the changing and emerging standards within these system-critical applications.

Giving automotive manufacturers a flexible, highly reliable alternative to costly and complex ASIC technology, Actel's low-power ProASIC3 FPGA family has achieved AEC-Q100 Grade 2 and Grade 1 qualification—passing a series of critical stress tests designed to ensure the quality, reliability, and endurance of semiconductors in automotive applications. Actel's AEC-Q100 Grade 1 ProASIC3 devices represent the industry's first FPGAs to achieve this quality level. The company also announced support for the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)—a process used by the automotive industry to ensure the availability of specific, in-depth documentation for all parts used in the automotive supply chain.

Combining optimized, award-winning IP and world-class software with personalized support, Actel provides an integrated solution to automotive manufacturers. The Actel automotive IP offering includes the following soft cores: ARM7™, Cortex-M1, LIN, CAN, I2C, SPI, 8051, Z80, 6809, Reed Solomon, DES/3DES/AES, and many others.

The Actel solution combines a best-in-class silicon platform with all the tools a designer needs to deliver tomorrow's products.

To learn more about Actel Automotive FPGAs, read the brochure.

Comments on Actel's Automotive Success

Delphi Corporation, a leading global supplier of mobile electronics and transportation systems, will be using the Actel ProASIC3 FPGA in a production engine control module being designed into a heavy-duty diesel engine. It's one thing to ensure that a device can operate in a car navigation or entertainment system, but to deliver an FPGA for system-critical applications with a zero defect goal is an entirely different animal. Until now, automotive manufacturers have engaged in the costly and complex design of application-specific devices because it was the only way to get the low-power, reliability, and endurance needed for the most demanding automotive systems. The flexibility of the ProASIC3 family enables widespread adoption of flash-based FPGAs in system-critical automotive applications.

Martin Mason, Director of Silicon Product Marketing, Actel Corporation
The low-power FPGAs required for high-temperature automotive applications are now critical for next-generation automotive electronics applications. An FPGA achieving an AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification will enable automotive manufacturers to leverage FPGA technology in system-critical and space-constrained automotive applications.

Mike Williams,
Research Vice President, Gartner

 Magna Electronics is designing automotive vision systems using Actel's ProASIC3 FPGA. The low-power, single-chip ProASIC3 FPGAs satisfy the needs of applications with extreme space constraints and limited ventilation. In addition, the highly integrated solution allows advanced driver assistance systems to be developed more cost effectively.
"As we deliver the driver assistance technologies that consumers are demanding, we need reliable components with sophisticated functionality in a very small form factor. The small size and proximity of these systems also require devices with extremely low power and endurance. The ProASIC3 FPGA provides the small footprint, low power, and reliability we need to create our innovative driver assistance systems."

François Truc,
Vice President and General Manager, Magna Electronics