National Press Release

GENEVA, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a leader in ICs for automotive electronics, has announced its first four microcontrollers in four new Power Architecture(TM) families enabling integrators to use the 32-bit MCU core throughout powertrain, car body, chassis and safety, and instrumentation systems. The new devices will support advanced functions, enable improved vehicle performance and economy, and deliver savings in development by promoting hardware and software reuse. All four products are available for immediate sampling.

All the devices combine the scalable e200-core 32-bit Power Architecture with an application-optimized peripheral set and plentiful embedded Flash memory, to increase integration, maximize design reuse, shorten time to market, and reduce costs. Advanced 90nm fabrication enables a high-performance, cost-effective solution.

"Automotive systems such as network-management, comfort and security are now ready for the high-performance 32-bit Power Architecture," said Domenico Bille, General Manager of ST's Car Body Division. "By providing application-optimized platforms that enable engineers to maximize investment in software and hardware development, ST's new MCUs will accelerate delivery of greater performance and value to end users."

The MCU families are the product of ST's joint-development program with Freescale Semiconductor. As the first true dual-source 32-bit microcontrollers serving the automotive marketplace, these devices increase security of delivery for OEMs. In the past, customers have typically accepted the overhead of working with two different suppliers with two different solutions on board, to avoid supply shortages. "The high-performance architecture, extensive supporting automotive IP and unique advantages of dual-sourcing, deliver to our customers unparalleled security of supply with the ability to create unique, advanced solutions," said Marco Maria Monti, General Manager of ST's Powertrain & Safety Division.

For engine-management and powertrain applications, ST has introduced the SPC563M family, optimized to control robotized transmission systems or 4-cylinder gasoline engines and featuring on-chip memories with up to 1.5 Mbytes of embedded Flash. With a dedicated coprocessor to offload CPU and integrated DSP capability, SPC563M devices enable tight emissions controls. Overall system cost savings are achieved thanks to a wide range of enhancements, such as knock-detection integration and very high IO availability in QFP packages. The first available product is the SPC563M60 with 1 Mbyte of Flash, available in QFP144 and BGA208 packages with future extensions in QFP100 and QFP176 packages.

The SPC560B family of products is targeted to cover car-body applications ranging from body peripherals such as seat modules, to central body controllers and all the way up to communication gateways. With a planned memory range from 128 Kbytes to 2 Mbytes of Flash, the devices feature specific enhancements for many applications. These enhancements include a high-resolution ADC for sensorless positioning, a hardware module to generate control signals for multiple power devices such as lamp drivers, sophisticated power-saving modes and a large number of communication interfaces. The devices support robust EEPROM emulation techniques, leading to further cost-saving potential. The first available product is the SPC560B50, which carries 512 Kbytes of Flash and is available in LQFP100 and LQFP144 package configurations. The complete family offers packages from LQFP64 to LQFP176.

The SPC560P family offers a roadmap aimed to cover the full range of converging applications in the chassis and safety area by focusing on compatibility, performance and safety. As the first device in this family the SPC560P50 comes with 512 Kbytes of Flash memory and features high serial connectivity, integrated safety features, and DMA and CRC units to allow efficient and safe processing of data as required in complex airbag systems. This device is now available in a choice of LQFP144 or LQFP100 packages with future extensions in smaller packages. In addition, an advanced motor-control unit, supporting field-oriented 3-phase motor control and requiring no CPU intervention, supports the increasing numbers of in-vehicle systems featuring electric motors. This enables a platform approach to systems design, saving repeated duplication of development effort. To aid development of next-generation networked chassis systems, the SPC560P range also includes a dual-channel FlexRay(TM) controller.

The fourth family, the SPC560S covers the full range of instrument cluster applications, including the growing market for TFT-display dashboards. The first family member is the SPC560S60, which features a four-plane Display Control Unit with on-chip graphical memories. This MCU successfully enables a single-chip solution for systems typically demanding four or more individual components. All devices of the family will also offer a standard peripherals set, such as analog gauge drivers with zero position detection and diagnostic, LCD interfaces and sound channels. The on-chip graphics memory can be extended with external components thanks to a low pin-count quad-SPI interface. The device is announced in LQFP144 and LQFP176 and will be available in the future with wider memory and package options as well as further enhanced graphical processing capabilities.

All of the new families are designed from the outset to support the latest automotive standards, including the AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) open-systems architecture and FlexRay high-performance vehicle networking. Modern power-management techniques are also catered for including direct standby-power management, which saves an additional secondary controller and thereby delivers further cost, power consumption and size savings.

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2007, the Company's net revenues were $10 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.

SOURCE STMicroelectronics