Automotive-grade wireless chips deliver high-speed connectivity

Broadcom now offers the industry's first 5G WiFi/Bluetooth Smart 2X2 MIMO combo chip with Real Simultaneous Dual Band (RSDB) support as well as a stand-alone tri-mode Bluetooth Smart (version 4.2) SoC. Optimised to meet the rigorous standards of the automotive industry, all products have been tested to AEC-Q100 automotive environmental stress requirements, are manufactured in TS16949 certified facilities and offer full Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) support.

"Broadcom's automotive-grade chips enable car makers and tier one suppliers to keep pace with the rapidly evolving mobile and IoT ecosystem by providing immediate access to the latest in wireless connectivity technologies," said Richard Barrett, Director of Automotive Wireless Connectivity, Broadcom. "By tailoring our products to meet the stringent quality and environmental demands of the automotive industry, we can significantly expand our footprint and stay ahead of the competition in this fast-growing market."

At the heart of the connected car are the semiconductor chips that make connectivity possible. As the development cycle quickens, analysts predict that the number of chips used in vehicles will rise at a dramatic pace. According to recent analyst data from Strategy Analytics, there could be nearly 1,000 chips per vehicle by 2020.

"Car connectivity is becoming the new battleground for product differentiation in the highly competitive automotive market," said Richard Robinson, Strategy Analytics, Automotive Communications and Multimedia Service Director. "By combining the same technology associated with the fast-moving mobile and IoT ecosystem with the stringent requirements of the automotive industry, Broadcom is well positioned to strongly compete in the rapidly growing automotive IC market."

The BCM89359 5G WiFi/Bluetooth Smart 2X2 MIMO Combo Chip with RSDB Support is optimised for seamless interaction with enhanced wireless applications and feature-rich systems like Apple CarPlay and Google Auto Link, the BCM89359 device is the first WLAN combo architected specifically for multi-band concurrent automotive infotainment and telematics operation.

The RSDB support enables simultaneous connectivity to the 5 and 2.4GHz bands, improving throughput and latency when using multiple applications. Integrated 5G WiFi technology provides the bandwidth required for multiple high resolution in-car displays, allowing uncongested 5GHz video to coexist concurrently with WiFi Internet access and 2.4GHz Bluetooth hands-free audio.

2x2 MIMO technology delivers twice the WiFi performance of any other solution on the market today, providing the highest throughput in-car network possible for multiple user experiences. A dedicated Bluetooth antenna enables concurrent operation of Bluetooth and WLAN applications and employs advanced coexistence algorithms to maximise voice quality and data access speed in simultaneous operation.

The Broadcom BCM89072 tri-function device offers Bluetooth HCI, Bluetooth embedded stack and Bluetooth Smart functional modes of operation in a monolithic, single-chip design. Integrating a Class 1 transceiver, baseband processor, ARM Cortex M3 and application memory on a single die allows the replacement of function-specific devices with a single device that offers all Bluetooth modes of operation.

Featuring the latest in Bluetooth Smart technology (also known as BLE), the BCM89072 SoC enables seamless connectivity between the car and passenger wearable tech to monitor biometric indicators including driver fatigue, blood alcohol content and glucose levels.

Integrated direction finding capability enables future angle of arrival based V2X applications while supporting a wide spectrum of existing applications including smart remotes, tire pressure monitoring and hands free communication.