Bosch and Freescale collaborate on joint chipsets

BANGALORE, INDIA & REUTLINGEN, GERMANY: Freescale Semiconductor and the Bosch Group's Automotive Electronics division have combined their leading positions in automotive electronics and systems expertise to create an automotive airbag reference platform for the growing automotive safety segment in emerging markets such as India and China.

The new airbag reference platform is based on chipsets from Freescale's Qorivva 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) family and Bosch's Airbag ASSP family and works with sensors from both companies. It demonstrates how Freescale's Qorivva MPC560xP MCU family, a scalable MCU used for safety applications, works with Bosch's CG147 Airbag ASSP family, a single, integrated airbag system IC that combines power supply, firing loops, sensor interfaces, and a safety controller.

"With this new reference platform, Bosch and Freescale are enabling local suppliers to adopt an airbag safety solution that helps them improve time to market, reduce design risks, is easy to use and affordable, and delivers the highest automotive quality standards," said Henri Richard, senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer for Freescale.

"A platform based on a proven ASSP and MCU chipset is the key to fulfilling market demand fast," said Erich Biermann, senior vice president of engineering for Bosch Automotive Electronics. "Combining Bosch's scalable range of Airbag ASSPs with Freescale's Qorivva MCU family enables ECU makers to tailor their systems exactly to the market needs."

The reference design platform comes with preloaded demonstration software. Sales and application support for their respective components will be offered by Bosch and Freescale individually.

Freescale and Bosch plan to make the airbag reference platform available in the first quarter of 2012. It is scheduled to be first demonstrated at the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) India and FTF China events.