Electronica, Secure Connected Cars, and the Move to Autonomous Vehicles

Every 2 years in November, tens of thousands of people flock to Electronica for an immersive 4 days of groundbreaking electronics. This year was no different – it was an occasion to share new ideas, and explore how they all connect. For NXP, it was an opportunity to show what’s possible today with the secure connected car and glimpse into the future of the completely autonomous vehicle.

Electronica’s ‘connected worlds – safe and secure’ theme is on target with the industry’s focus. – Kurt Sievers, Head of NXP Automotive, opened electronica Monday evening to a crowded auditorium in Munich.

Semiconductors are the foundation of all innovation for tomorrow’s connected worlds, from the tiniest wearables to self-driving cars and smart cities. But, he added, if you only connect the world and forget about security, it can lead to adverse, even disastrous, consequences.

He shared the recent attack that took down a big chunk of the Internet for most of the U.S. Eastern seaboard using smart – but unsecured – toasters, surveillance cameras and other unsecured things.

It was a natural segue into the electronics industry’s focus on security, which was on the minds of many in the audience.

A live experience of secure connected mobility
The connected car, and ultimately the completely autonomous vehicle, isn’t so far away. That’s what NXP set out to show on the streets of Munich.

Siemens, Honda, DAF trucks, Cohda Wireless, Marben and Chemtronics joined NXP to show intelligent traffic management, where cars, trucks, and motorcycles talked to traffic lights, road works and each other. Called V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communications, vehicles and even ships and drones, can connect and communicate to the infrastructure and other vehicles based on wireless communications (IEEE802.11p).

More than a dozen use cases were shown with the vehicle that “sees” what’s ahead, around corners and over hills, detecting people and other vehicles. It syncs with traffic signals to zip through green lights. It knows about an approaching ambulance, pinpointing the location of the siren that would otherwise only be heard. It helps you avoid accidents, reduces congestion and minimizes emissions. You can watch some of the use cases in this video:

For more information, read about the connected vehicle experience in this blog, Speed up autonomous cars. 

Platooning system to bring 30 times faster reaction time
A new platooning system, developed in partnership with DAF Trucks, sets out to achieve 30 times faster reaction time when compared to human-controlled vehicles by 2017.

In platooning, a radar system is an essential element next to V2X. Two or more trucks wirelessly link to form a platoon to save fuel, increase road safety, and cut down on emissions.

The second truck, the follower, is in a semi-autonomous driving state, safely braking and accelerating at high speeds in sync with the lead truck. If a car or another object cuts in front of a truck, the radar detects it. Performance is critical to reliably and quickly detect objects, allowing the vehicle to safely react.

Watch this eTV episode with Lars Reger who shares how platooning works.

NXP’s new autonomous driving products focus on safety, self-driving trucks https://t.co/yqkVpzgzPq

— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) November 8, 2016

New radar system detects and processes near-vehicle objects with higher accuracy and safety  The ability of a vehicle to make precise, safety-related decisions depends on its capacity to accurately detect and classify objects. The new automotive S32 radar microcontroller offers four times the performance of its predecessor to safely detect and process any object in the vicinity of the car. The higher performance of this MCU means higher accuracy and safety for applications such as collision avoidance, lane change assist, autonomous emergency braking, radar cocooning with 360° perception or adaptive cruise control. In intelligent transport systems, vulnerable road users (VRUs) like pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles can be detected and tracked much faster.

Inside the small-scale @LocalMotors #3DPrinted #autonomous bus is a complete radar system: NXP’s S32R radar MCU with radar front end. #ele16 pic.twitter.com/2j9hINyHwY — NXP Automotive (@NXP_Auto) November 10, 2016

Get faster, more secure V2X development with Cohda Wireless
NXP now has full access to Cohda’s optimized algorithms for the rapid development of V2X standard enhancements and additional applications. This means that NXP can provide you with enhanced firmware for the NXP RoadLink™ chipset.  The streamlined software licensing helps you speed up your V2X and Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) developments to meet the needs of shorter time to market and even more secure solutions.

Automotive lighting is redefined with groundbreaking digital LED
A new digital LED concept for automotive applications with the first LED product was unveiled by Inova Semiconductors. This next-generation LED platform was rolled out by the Open ISELED Alliance. The product, available from Dominant Opto Technologies in early 2017, is the first developed under the umbrella of ISELED, an open alliance formed to provide a full ecosystem for the new digital LED right from its very inception.  The alliance includes Inova Semiconductors, Dominant Opto Technologies, NXP, TE Connectivity and Pforzheim University.

NXP engages in the debates
NXP CEO Rick Clemmer joined renowned experts from the semiconductor industry for the CEO Roundtable which focused on security (watch the replay).

“It’s not just about tech, it’s about applications and solutions that make our lives more connected and safer.” -NXP CEO Rick Clemmer #ele16 pic.twitter.com/zeGxEz2Mqe

— NXP (@NXP) November 8, 2016

At the Automotive Conference, several automotive sessions were led by NXP and partners and security was a key topic, starting with a panel discussion on the secure connected (self-driving) car with Lars Reger.  Other sessions included multicore SOCs for automotive with Stefan Singer, Marc Osajda covered MEMS and automotive and Timo van Roermund led a session on security.

“Can we trust #selfdriving cars? Yes, if #security is an integral part of the design,” NXP’s Timo van Roermund, #ele16 cyber security panel. pic.twitter.com/eFOfZRGZNP

— NXP Automotive (@NXP_Auto) November 10, 2016

Additionally, Lars Reger and Davide Santo joined a panel discussion on automotive technology transfer (read about it).

NXP Auto CTO Lars Reger moderates #ele16 auto tech transfer panel: How do self-flying robots deal with cyber #security? — NXP Automotive (@NXP_Auto) November 8, 2016

New auto tech acceptance traditionally moves slow. It needs move fast to compete with non-traditional players. -NXP’s Davide Santo, #ele16 — NXP Automotive (@NXP_Auto) November 8, 2016

Here are just a few of the news highlights that were published live from Electronica.
eTV (video): Lars Reger interview: electronica 2016 eTV Automotive
eTV (video, German): Kurt Sievers interview: electronica 2016 Trend Index
TechCrunch: NXP’s new autonomous driving products focus on safety, self-driving trucks
Fortune: Autonomous Cars to Drive Chip Sector Consolidation Says NXP
Forbes: New NXP Technology Allows Tighter Truck Platooning
EETimes: NXP Drives Truck Platooning
Electronics Weekly: Electronica: Lorries self-convoy through the streets of Munich
eWeek: New NXP Technologies Aimed at Autonomous Vehicles
Eetasia: NXP radar MCU enables tighter truck platooning
NXP news: NXP Quadruples Computing Power for Automotive Radar to Enable New Range of Semi-Autonomous Capabilities
NXP news: NXP and DAF Trucks Commit to Set New Benchmark in Truck Platooning: Thirty Times Faster than Human Reaction Time
NXP news: NXP and Cohda Wireless Enable Rapid V2X Development with Software Agreement

The story of the future of intelligent transportation doesn’t stop here. Keep up with what’s shaping the industry by following NXP Automotive on Twitter for the latest news and event updates.