Freescale Semiconductor steps into the IoT/M2M Connected Car space with the announcement of its Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering for Auto Infotainment (SABRE Al) development system. The SABRE Al enables automotive grade Ethernet connectivity to vehicles, delivering real-time data transport throughout the vehicle - from the digital display near the dashboard to the personal screens for the passengers. Freescale said in its statement that the solution will support connectivity requirements for various functionalities within the vehicle, including in-vehicle infotainment, instrument cluster, camera, telematics and rear seat entertainment.
According to Freescale, SABRE AI will use its i.MX 6 series application processors to speed and simplify the deployment of Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (AVB). SABRE AI connects a broad array of onboard multimedia nodes. By combining the SABRE Al with Freescale's automotive-grade AVB Ethernet software stacks, Freescale will be delivering a comprehensive solution that addresses the integration of hardware and software and provides a ready-to-deploy solution for automakers.
Freescale also said that its SABRE AI development system delivers costs savings for OEMs in terms of hardware system cost and reduced cabling weight resulting from the use of the Ethernet AVB's 2-wire CAN cabling. The SABRE Al delivers 100 Mbps automotive Ethernet physical interfaces as well as multi-port switches to allow customers to design for their specific needs, added Freescale. The SABRE and the AVB software solution are both expected to be available in the first quarter of next year.
Freescale's solution will enable auto-makers to leverage on the car's 4G connection to deliver solid connectivity to various points within the car, removing the need for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connected devices such as tablets, phablets and smartphone to connect to the vehicle's infotainment system. At the same time, Ethernet in the vehicle enables the driver to control the content that is streamed across the many screens in the vehicle as there will be no need for direct connectivity between independent devices and the car's 4G connection. Freescale's solution is expected to deliver an end-user service that combines the traditional in-flight entertainment (before the days of inflight Wi-Fi) and internet services. The 4G connection brings content to the car and the Ethernet connectivity distributes it to everyone on board
Dan Loop, automotive business development manager for Freescale's MCU group
The newest SABRE AI development system brings Freescale's extensive networking expertise into the vehicle, delivering Ethernet AVB solutions that connect cars to their drivers, the cloud and the rest of the Internet of Things. In the Internet of Things era, infotainment's primary role is to intelligently connect the car and all of its subsystems to the driver and passengers' world -- enriching the driving experience and enhancing the safety of the vehicle. Freescale's new SABRE for Auto Infotainment system helps automotive OEMs and their Tier One suppliers rapidly create and deploy automotive multimedia systems for this new paradigm.
