Freescale Introduces Scalable 8-bit Microcontrollers For Automotive Market
Freescale Semiconductor announced that it has expanded its popular 8-bit S08SG microcontroller (MCU) family to provide more scalable performance and memory options for automotive body and chassis applications. These new family members – the S08SG16 and S08SG32 MCUs – are said to provide a flexible, general-purpose solution for body control modules, LIN™ nodes, mirror modules, window-lift, battery management systems, HVAC control, heated seat modules and more.
Operating at up to 40 MHz with 16K and 32K flash memory options, the S08SG16/32 MCUs are described as stretching the boundaries of 8-bit performance. The devices are well suited for motor control applications. The devices also are designed to enable simplified development of LIN systems through an on-chip serial communications interface (SCI). The SCI module allows LIN break detection and synchronization without the use of an external timer channel.
It is stated that the S08SG16/32 devices’ high level of integration helps reduce development cost, saves board space and enhances system-level quality by eliminating the need for peripheral board components, such as external clock sources. Other features include low voltage inhibit (LVI) circuits, voltage regulators, I/O multiplexers, watchdog circuits and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
The S08SG16/32 devices are also said to offer an on-chip background debug mode (BDM) capability that enables developers to perform non-intrusive debugging and emulation on the fly. The BDM feature is critical for debugging multi-MCU systems in chassis and powertrain applications without interfering with software execution.
To help streamline the design process, the S08SG16/32 MCUs are backed by a comprehensive ecosystem of hardware and software development tools. The DEMO9S08SG32AUTO demonstration board is available for a suggested retail price of $69 (USD), providing a platform for evaluating MCU performance and features. The MCUs are also supported by Freescale’s CodeWarrior® Development Studio for Microcontrollers v6.1, an integrated tool suite designed to help developers take advantage of the Freescale MCUs selected for their application.