Infineon and Taiwan Semiconductor are bringing RRAM technology to the AURIX TC4x automotive microcontroller product line

     Infineon Technologies and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., LTD. (TSMC) announced that the two companies plan to introduce TSMC's variable resistance memory history technology into Infineon's next-generation MCU AURIX™ microcontroller. Embedded flash microcontrollers have been the main building blocks of automotive electronic control units (ECUs) since the first engine management systems were developed.

     These microcontrollers are an integral part of building green, safe and intelligent vehicles. They are used in drive systems, vehicle dynamics control, driver assistance and body applications, enabling significant innovations in electrification, new electronic and electrical (E/E) architectures and autonomous driving. Currently, most MCU series on the market use embedded flash memory technology. As the next generation of embedded memory, RRAM can be further expanded to 28nm and beyond.

     The scalability of Infineon AURIX TC4x microcontroller product performance is combined with the latest trends in virtualization, security and networking capabilities to support a new generation of software-defined vehicles and an all-new E/E architecture. Infineon and Taiwan Semiconductor have successfully introduced RRAM into the automotive sector, building a broader technical and supply base for AURIX microcontrollers. RRAM is highly anti-jamming and allows for bit-by-bit input without erasure, with durability and data retention comparable to flash memory technology.

     "Infineon and TSMC have long enjoyed a successful partnership, such as on the first generation AURIX TC2x products," said Dr. Kevin Zhang, Senior Vice President of Business Development at TSMC. We have also worked together for nearly a decade in the field of RRAM NVM technology, covering a variety of different applications. The introduction of RRAM into TC4x opens up new possibilities for further miniaturization of MCU. We are very excited to work with such a leading company as Infineon."

     Thomas Boehm, Senior vice President and general manager of the Automotive Microcontroller business at Infineon Technologies, said, "The AURIX TC3x is already recognized in many applications as a highly regarded automotive microcontroller. Built on TSMC's RRAM technology, AURIX TC4x will extend this lead with enhanced ASIL-D performance, enhanced AI capabilities, and the latest network interfaces including 10Base T1S Ethernet and CAN-XL. RRAM technology creates tremendous potential for improved performance, reduced power consumption and cost savings."