Functional Safety, Cybersecurity Protection and AUTOSAR Compatibility Features Now Available on 32-bit MCU Based on Arm® Cortex®-M0+ Core 

Electronics manufacturers that range from home appliances to vehicles are shifting towards automating and connecting their end-user applications and generating the need for industry-wide standards in functional safety and cybersecurity protection in order to ensure their products function safely and safely. To offer manufacturers an MCU solution that is equipped with components that comply with ISO 26262 safety functional requirements and ISO/SAE security standards 21434, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today unveils its PIC32CM . JH Microcontroller (MCU). It is the first MCU built upon the Arm ^(r) Cortex ^(r)-M0+ architecture that supports AUTOSAR as well as Memory-Built In Self-Test (MBIST) as well as secure boot.

It is the PIC32CM JH supports AUTOSAR which is an open software architecture that gives companies with the ability to switch to lower-level hardware, but retain the original code for their application, making it simpler to switch across different models. AUTOSAR-ready is designed to speed up the development process and cut the overall cost. If you are using AUTOSAR, Microchip offers ASIL B microcontroller abstraction layers (MCALs) to support safety-related applications that are functional, offering the lower-level connection to MCU.

OEMs in the automotive industry require security and functionality for a variety of in-car applications, including touch wheels and buttons doors, door controls as well as console control, as well as body applications like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The PIC32CM JH is compatible with Microchip’s Trust Anchor TA100 CryptoAutomotive ^(tm) security ICs, is in compliance with ISO/SAE 21434 which is the new Cybersecurity Standards for automotive. The TA100 utilizes highly secure hardware-based cryptographic key storage as well as cryptographic countermeasures to block potential backdoors that could be caused by software weaknesses.

“With the PIC32CM JH MCU, Microchip is addressing the growing need for microcontroller solutions that are designed with functional safety and cybersecurity protection, which is particularly important in the automotive industry,” said Rod Drake vice president of Microchip Technology’s 32-bit MCU business segment. “OEMs and other manufacturers now have the option to use an entry-level Arm Cortex-M0+ based MCU to meet compliance requirements previously only available on higher-end MCUs.”

The Secure Boot is a part of hardware. The code is authenticated in order to make sure that it’s valid and blocks malicious code from loading on the processor. Other hardware features that are part of the PIC32CM JH MCU include Error Correction Code (ECC) that includes loopbacks and fault injections on the communication interfaces, the system memory protection unit, and MBIST. All of these are security mechanisms that ensure compliance with ISO 26262, IEC 61508 and IEC 60730 specifications.

MBIST is the standard method for testing embedded memory and is able to quickly check the quality of Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) to verify that it’s functioning correctly before code is performed to avoid problems. To assist developers in implementing of their code, the PIC32CM JH includes functional safety collateral, such as safety guides as well as Failure Modes Effects and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) as well as diagnostic codes that targets ISO 26262ASIL B (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) safety levels.

Furthermore to that, the PIC32CM JH comes with advanced touch capabilities with Driven Shield Plus, providing water and noise-free operation. This feature is crucial for household appliances, industrial and automotive applications in which the touch needs to perform in a variety difficult conditions.