Kodiak Robotics and NXP Semiconductors have announced that Kodiak has integrated NXP’s automotive processors and in-vehicle networking interfaces to further enhance the performance, robustness, and reliability of Kodiak’s autonomous system.
NXP’s automotive solutions—the S32G3 vehicle network processor, S32K3 microcontroller, VR5510 multi-channel high-voltage power management integrated circuit (PMIC), and PF53—are integrated in the Kodiak Actuation Control Engine (ACE), Kodiak’s custom-designed computer that manages vehicle actuation independently from the main autonomy system. The ACE is designed to enable the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak’s AI-powered autonomous system, to run a safe fallback maneuver and bring a vehicle to a controlled stop if any safety-critical component of either the Kodiak Driver or the underlying vehicle platform fails.
NXP’s solutions also allow critical functions like vehicle performance monitoring. Ten times each second, the Kodiak Driver evaluates the performance of more than 1,000 safety-critical processes and components in both the self-driving stack and the underlying truck platform. Finally, the NXP solutions power critical safety functions such as on-vehicle power management.
The integration of NXP’s automotive solutions improve the Kodiak Driver’s reliability and robustness, by supporting the system’s self-diagnostic capabilities, allowing Kodiak to improve vehicle uptime. In addition, Kodiak believes NXP’s solutions’ broad range of vehicle interfaces offer a flexible and cost-effective way to adapt the Kodiak Driver to additional vehicle platforms.
“Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Kodiak, and a responsibility we have taken seriously since day one,” said Don Burnette, Founder and CEO, Kodiak. “Driverless trucks require powerful and reliable safety-critical computing platforms which meet our rigorous safety standards. By incorporating NXP’s automotive solutions into the Kodiak Driver, we are positioned to incorporate the highest classification of automotive safety into our autonomous system more efficiently, and at scale.”
NXP’s high-performance computing and in-vehicle network processors selected for the Kodiak Driver are designed to support the real-time performance, subsystem integration, and functional safety requirements of Kodiak’s autonomous system.
NXP’s processors provide deterministic, real-time performance—features that are crucial for improvements to the Kodiak Driver’s precision control over steering, braking, throttle and power management. NXP’s solutions are compliant with the highest ISO 26262 safety integrity level, ASIL-D. ASIL-D compliance corresponds to an impressive rate of fewer than ten failures in one billion hours of operation. NXP’s solutions are helping Kodiak to further develop a scalable, safety-critical computing platform designed to support driverless trucks.
Kodiak has integrated NXP’s solutions into the computer architecture that powers the Kodiak Driver including:
- S32G3 vehicle network processor: Kodiak integrates this high performance and high reliability processor into the ACE to enable safe actuation of vehicle controls, including redundant braking, steering, and throttle
- S32K3 microcontrollers for automotive applications: Kodiak uses these chips in the ACE as safety co-processors and to enable power distribution, battery charging, and safety HMI interfaces
- VR5510 multi-channel high-voltage PMIC: Kodiak integrates the PMIC into the ACE to provide high performance power generation, including functional safety mechanisms to monitor output voltages.
- The PF53 ASIL D core supply regulator delivers power performance to unlock the full potential of the S32G3 core
“Autonomous driving systems demand a level of safety and reliability that leaves no room for compromise,” said Robert Moran, GM and VP Automotive Processors, NXP. “Our ISO 26262- compliant S32 compute solutions are designed to support that level of rigor—delivering the real-time performance and functional integrity needed to help companies like Kodiak bring advanced autonomous capabilities to market with confidence.”
