The company uses pmic and SerDes ics to develop reference designs for SOCs

     Rohm and Nanjing Semi-Drive Technology Co., Ltd. have jointly developed a smart cockpit reference design. The design is based primarily on SemiDrive's X9M and X9E automotive SOCs, including pmic, SerDes ics, LED driver ics and other ROHM components. On this basis, a reference board is proposed, including CoreBoard, SerDes board and Display board.

     In recent years, the popularity of automotive smart cockpits and ADAS has increased the demand for automotive electronics and components. pmic and SerDes ic are the core of automotive electronic system, and their performance directly affects the stability and efficiency of the whole system. In this case, the Rohm pmic and SerDes ics achieve a high level of integration in the power module while supporting higher stability during high-speed data transmission.

     The two companies have established a strategic partnership to jointly develop advanced technologies in the automotive sector. This led to Rohm components such as pmic and SerDes ics being integrated into the reference board of SemiDrive's X9H on-board SoC. Since then, many automobile manufacturers have adopted the reference board to provide advanced features for cockpit and other vehicle applications.

     The two companies are now collaborating on the REF66004 reference design, which uses the on-board SOCs X9M and X9E. As a result, the reference design is expected to further expand the application lineup to include popular mass-market models. In addition to the SerDes ics used in the X9H reference board, Romm also supplies the BD96801Q12-C SoC PMIC and BD9SA01F80-C buck converter ics for driving SOCs, and the BD39031MUF-C Universal PMIC for ADAS to power the SerDes ics. The solution supports the operation of up to three display projections and four ADAS cameras (surround view cameras).

     Zhang Qiang, Chairman of Nanjing Semi-Drive Technology Co., LTD. :"As cars become smarter, there is a growing demand for automotive electronics and components. SemiDrive is focused on providing core components for the next generation of automotive E/E(electrical/electronic) architectures, such as automotive SOCs and controllers. Rohm offers a rich portfolio of semiconductors for ADAS and cockpits, and the collaboration with Rohm will greatly contribute to the realization of next-generation cockpit solutions. In particular, the Romserdes ic and pmic, which utilize original simulation technology, are key components in our reference design. We look forward to continuing to work with Rohm to deliver innovative solutions across a wide range of automotive sectors."

     Tetsuo Tateishi, Member of the Board of Directors and Senior Corporate Officer of ROHM Co., Ltd., responsible for R&D, IT, Legal and Intellectual property, and LSI business, "We are pleased to work with SemiDrive to develop this reference design. SemiDrive is a company with extensive experience in automotive SOCs. With the development of ADAS and the multi-function of the cockpit, the role of automotive analog semiconductors, such as SerDes ics and Pmics, is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, Rohm's new PMIC for SOCs represents a new concept for power ics that can be flexibly adapted to the next generation of automotive power system configurations. Going forward, we will continue to deepen our partnership with SemiDrive to deepen our understanding of the next generation of cockpits and accelerate the development of various products that will contribute to the further development of the automotive industry."

     The reference design combines SemiDrive's X9M and X9E SoCs for smart cockboards with ROHM pmic for SOCs and ADAS, SerDes ics (for display/camera), LVDS shunt ics and LED driver ics for in-vehicle displays. It can be found on Rohm's website. The design provides a cockpit solution that drives up to three screen projections and four cameras. In addition, its new pmic for SOCs enables arbitrary output voltage Settings and sequence control via internal memory (one-time programmable memory), enabling flexible, efficient power supplies tailored to circuit requirements.

     Reference boards based on this design are also available separately on request. It can run multiple operating systems on a single SoC, using SemiDrive's unique hardware virtualization capabilities. At the same time, the hardware security management module implements command transmission from the operating system to the SoC and GPU. Swapping different SemiDrive SOCs with compatible pins allows for quick changes to the application specification without changing the circuit.

     From entry-level to flagship models, the X9 series of in-vehicle SOCs support a variety of applications, including dashboards, automotive infotainment, cockpit domain control and intelligent monitoring systems, with more than 1 million units shipped. Through rich experience in mass production, a perfect production system has been established.