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Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel cooperate on cellular-V2X for automotive 3GPP

Mon, Jul 12, 2021

Selected 3GPP test cases based on Rohde & Schwarz’s R&S CMW500 wideband radio communication tester for a Quectel AG15 C-V2X module have been verified by the two companies.

Cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) connectivity technology is expected to improve road safety and accelerate autonomous driving. The C-V2X PC5 interface operates in the 5.9GHz frequency to enable direct, reliable, low latency communication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and infrastructure (V2I) and vehicles and pedestrians (V2P). According to Rohde & Schwarz, in order for the automotive industry to deploy this technology in a timely manner will require cooperation between suppliers.

The test cases performed by Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel can be used by automotive companies looking to pre-validate 3GPP system performance before entering OMNIAIR or CATARC certification processes. The test system provides a high degree of automation and flexible instrument configuration, which meets the requirements of the automotive industry for C-V2X testing, say the companies. Importantly, this can be done leveraging existing investments in Rohde & Schwarz equipment.

The Quectel AG15 is an automotive grade C-V2X module which has been designed and manufactured according to IATF 16949:2016 standards. It is intended for use in harsh environments and provides superior ESD/EMI protection performance, claims the company.

Manfred Lindacher, vice president of global sales automotive international, Quectel Wireless Solutions, commented: “We’re delighted to have collaborated with Rohde & Schwarz to validate these test cases and are looking forward to helping our customers on the road to build a smarter world with our automotive grade C-V2X modules.”

Rohde & Schwarz supplies test and measurement software, instruments and systems. Its expertise can be applied through the entire automotive lifecycle from pre-development to production. OEMs, Tier 1s and chip suppliers around the world use the company’s products for automotive radar, connectivity, infotainment, high performance computing and EMC. It develops, integrates and production tests radar for ADAS and autonomous driving systems. It also has expertise in wireless technology for robust connectivity in all standards from 5G and C-V2X to UWB, WiFi6 and GNSS. In-vehicle networks support the latest bus speeds and engine control units (ECUs).

With decades of experience in EMC testing, Rohde & Schwarz offers test and measurement equipment and customisable turnkey test systems for performing EMI and EMS measurements on vehicles and components in line with all major CISPR and OEM specific EMC standards. It supports full vehicle antenna testing and also wireless co-existence testing with using own systems and instruments. The company also offers solutions for board level tests (ICT/FCT/BS) during ECU production. Partners and customers around the world use these test solutions to ensure automotive components and systems function correctly, co-exist successfully and communicate with the outside world without errors.

http://www.rohde-schwarz.com

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Hands-free ECU detection assists autonomous driving

Mon, Jul 12, 2021

To support autonomous driving systems by distinguishing between variations in a driver’s grip on the steering wheel, an electronic control unit (ECU) developed by Alps Alpine will contribute to safe, comfortable mobility, says the company.

In the field of autonomous driving, there is growing deployment of systems that enable a vehicle, under certain conditions, to automatically follow the car in front while keeping to the lane, reports Alps Alpine.

Such vehicles need to be able to detect and assess a driver’s driving status to allow safe and smooth switching between automated and manual driving. One aspect is to determine the driver’s grip on the steering wheel to enable safe switching between driver-controlled and system-controlled modes. Determining the right time to switch between autonomous driving assistance and manual driving requires constant monitoring of the vehicle’s drive status and the driver’s driving posture to ensure safety. If autonomous driving assistance is not appropriate, the driver needs to be quickly warned that the assistance is to be disengaged and will need to immediately revert to manual driving.

Capacitive sensing is the dominant technology used for steering wheel touch detection due to its cost and functional performance. The ECU uses data obtained via a special-purpose capacitive sensor, wrapped around the steering wheel, to determine if the driver is touching it and conveys the assessment to an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Existing hands-off detection systems are mono-zone set ups, with a single electrode, Alps Alpine has developed a multi-zone configuration with four electrodes. Dividing the steering wheel and grip patterns into smaller sections enables efficient system switching and enhanced touch assessment reliability, says the company. This allows a more detailed assessment of driving status than a basic touching/not touching determination reached using an existing single-electrode sensor, Alps explains.

The ECU has been designed for use with a special-purpose steering wheel capacitive sensor to maintain resistance to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and electromagnetic noise.

Alps Alpine has also developed an original capacitive control ASIC with improved durability and versatility for conformance to strict automotive standards.

Varying conditions may lead to a variance in the data obtained via the capacitive sensor. To accommodate the separate circumstances, Alps Alpine can supply an originally developed algorithm to accommodate the parameter changes.

Reliability is enhanced by an original failure determination feature and the ECU sensor conforms to ISO 26262, the international standard on the functional safety of electrical and electronic systems in automobiles.

Alps Alpine will also put forward product proposals, representing examples of applied capacitive technology, for a wide range of human-machine interfaces (HMI) both inside and outside the vehicle cabin, not just hands-off detection.

The ECU is in mass production. It measures 40 x 45 x 12mm and uses a LIN 2.1 or LIN 2.2 interface. It operates at 8.0 to 16V and up to 100mA.

http://www.alpsalpine.com

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M.2 cards let i.MX users try wireless connectivity options

Fri, Jul 09, 2021

A set of Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth expansion cards which plug into NXP Semiconductors’ i.MX processor evaluation kits allow users to try connectivity options, says u-blox. The cards conform to the M.2 form factor and integrate u-blox modules powered by wireless SoCs from NXP.

The cards use NXP’s integrated 88W8987 and 88Q9098 Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth chipsets and easily plug into the M.2 sockets to evaluate i.MX and development kits are claimed to make it significantly easier for developers to explore the many wireless connectivity possibilities enabled by their modules.

u-blox has launched two wireless connectivity cards based on its JODY modules. The cards are built to the M.2 Type 2230 Key E form factor, for which sockets are provided on the latest range of NXP i.MX evaluation boards.

The M2-JODY-W3 card comprises a u-blox JODY-W3 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 module. The module’s NXP 88Q9098 chipset supports IEEE 802.11ax and dual mode Bluetooth 5.1. It runs concurrent dual band Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks using dual MACs, and 2×2 MIMO antenna set-up in each band.

Bluetooth support in the M2-JODY-W3 includes dual-mode Bluetooth 5.1 Classic and LE, as well as the standard’s long-range operation option. The M2-JODY-M3 card supports simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Its Wi-Fi functionality includes simultaneous access point, station, or Wi-Fi Direct modes.

The M2-JODY-W2 card features a u-blox JODY-W2 Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5 module, which uses the NXP 88W8987 chipset to support IEEE 802.11ac and Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy 5. The card supports dual-band Wi-Fi to the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards.

The card also supports dual-mode Bluetooth 5 operation and is capable of dual port simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and its Wi-Fi functionality also includes simultaneous access point, station, or Wi-Fi direct modes.

The cards can be used as a way of evaluating wireless connectivity options in the context of both NXP i.MX evaluation kits and embedded systems boards built by NXP partners. The cards can be used in industrial automation, vehicle navigation and telematics, in-vehicle infotainment and hands-free audio, remote diagnostics and patient monitoring, security cameras, payment terminals, and other applications requiring high data rates, says u-blox.

The M2-JODY-W3 and M2-JODY-W2 cards can be used with legacy evaluation boards that do not feature an M.2 socket as a convenient microSD-to-M.2 adapter that connects to a standard microSD socket, or a microSD-to-SD adapter for boards with a standard SD socket.

http://www.u-blox.com

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Modular IoT development system reduces development time, says Renesas

Thu, Jul 08, 2021

To ease the prototyping of IoT systems, Renesas has introduced the Quick-Connect IoT system, consisting of standardised boards and interfaces. Designers can quickly connect a range of sensors to microcontroller development boards. The system also delivers core software building blocks that are portable between boards, which greatly reduces coding requirements, says Renesas.

Working with Digilent, Renesas has created a new, expanded I2C Pmod Interface, Type 6A, for wider coverage and added flexibility. Renesas has standardised the Pmod 6A connector from Digilent for new sensor Pmods and microcontroller development kits. This standardisation allows designers to select the optimal combination for any IoT prototype design, says Renesas. Microcontroller boards will have two Pmod connectors, one for a sensor Pmod, and another for a communications module. The Pmods can also be cascaded for even greater flexibility, advises Renesas.

Common software application program interfaces (APIs) and hardware abstraction layer (HAL) code have been redefined for a wide variety of sensors. These are embedded into the Renesas e2 studio integrated development environment (IDE). Now, instead of writing and testing hundreds of lines of driver code, designers only need to graphically select their sensor and write a few lines of code. “We will expand its coverage to support more boards and devices in the future. Additionally, having a standardised hardware connectivity platform allows customers to use compatible Pmods developed by third parties and other suppliers.”

“The new Pmod interface Type 6A . . . conforms to the I2C specifications with an optional interrupt and reset pin plus optional control signals, giving users added flexibility for diverse types of system development,” said Talesa Bleything, director of marketing at Digilent.

Initially, Quick-Connect IoT will include over a dozen new Renesas sensor Pmods and other modular boards, including air quality sensors, flow sensors, bio-sensing, time of flight, temperature and other sensing elements.

Further sensor Pmods are under development that will include a variety of sensors and peripherals. Over 25 microcontroller development boards and kits spanning the RA, RX and RL78 families are compatible with the Pmod Type 6A standard, either directly or through a small interposer board developed by Renesas. RE and RZ development boards will be supported in the near future.

Development kits, sensor and interposer boards can be ordered through Renesas sales and sample channels.

http://www.renesas.com

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Rohde & Schwarz and Quectel cooperate on cellular-V2X for automotive 3GPP

Hands-free ECU detection assists autonomous driving

M.2 cards let i.MX users try wireless connectivity options

Modular IoT development system reduces development time, says Renesas

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