Renesas Electronics' Industry Leadership Includes More Than 15 Years of Powering Microsoft's Award-Winning Software Embedded Platforms and Tools
SANTA CLARA, Calif., October 25, 2010 -- Renesas Electronics America Inc. announced today its R-Car ARM and SH-4A system-on-chip (SoC) series, which integrates advanced graphics, video, audio, network and other peripheral functions with the newly announced Microsoft Windows Embedded Automotive 7 platform to deliver a flexible software platform with built-in entertainment and communication applications and a rich user interface (UI) framework. Using this platform, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier 1 suppliers, and after-market systems providers can quickly create affordable, differentiated solutions that safely deliver driver assistance, traffic updates, navigation, weather, entertainment and connectivity that are available through today's rich web infrastructures.
Microsoft's Visual Studio tools, a fully integrated development environment (IDE) including a compiler, are already in place to support Renesas Electronics' SH-4A device so designers can start development immediately. The SH7786 Pilsner Board Support Package is available through Microsoft as a primary development platform for the SH-4A architecture.
This powerful combination of Renesas Electronics' ARM or SH4A SoC with the Microsoft Windows Embedded Automotive 7 operating system and Visual Studio IDE allows developers to focus on usability, benefits, price, performance and quick time to market. Developers can select amongst hundreds of software components via Visual Studio including the latest connectivity protocols such as Bluetooth® 2.1, DLNA, POOM3, AVRCP, MAP to MAPI, the latest web standards, and Open GL ES 2.0.
Additionally, Renesas Electronics' SoCs offer real performance benefits including OpenVG 1.1 hardware acceleration, video graphics decoding acceleration, and OpenGL ES 1.1 and ES 2.0 hardware acceleration.
Renesas Electronics' processors and the Windows Embedded Automotive 7 operating system give developers the latest tools and technologies to quickly create in-vehicle experiences that are easier to use and more engaging for drivers and passengers, including voice recognition, touch input, hands-free Bluetooth phone communications, and advanced dashboard systems. Additionally, with Microsoft's Silverlight tool for Windows Embedded Automotive 7, developers are able to quickly create rich device UIs with engaging 2-D and 3-D graphics by utilizing a familiar Microsoft technology and taking advantage of a large ecosystem of Silverlight designers.
Processor and development platform combinations
| Processor | Renesas SoC | Development Platform |
|---|---|---|
| ARM 11 | EC4270 | Renesas Electronics EC4270 SDB (Software Development Board) |
| ARM Cortex A9 | EC4350 | Renesas Electronics EC4350 SDB (Software Development Board) |
| Renesas SH-4A | SH7786 | Pilsner Board |
| Renesas SH-4A | SH7776 | Weisse Board |
"Microsoft is excited to be working with Renesas Electronics and our entire global partner ecosystem to deliver next-generation in-vehicle infotainment experiences," said Steve Bridgeland, senior product manager for Windows Embedded, Microsoft Corp. "With the Windows Embedded Automotive 7 platform and Renesas Electronics' R-Car SoC, car makers have the latest tools and technology so they can focus on transforming the in-car experience for their customers."
"Renesas Electronics and Microsoft continue to collaborate to bring advanced system solutions to the global automotive market," said Jim Trent, vice president, Automotive Business Unit, Renesas Electronics America. "Offering each company's products will help usher in the next generation of in-car infotainment electronics."
Automotive applications include instrument clusters, navigation, entertainment center, hands-free mobile phone, automotive web client device, location-based services, HVAC climate controls, and automotive diagnostics information portals.
Development platforms and further information are available through Renesas Electronics America ([email protected]) or its reference hardware partners with whom the company collaborates to ensure its developers are well served:
System integration partners
- Trygtech
- Emitron
- MPC Data
Reference hardware partners
- Digi
- Shimafuji
Windows Embedded Automotive 7 is licensed to OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and after-market systems providers directly through Microsoft. Renesas Electronics America can provide evaluation systems and their related Board Support Packages and the licenses for evaluation including the Microsoft development tools environment. Microsoft provides licenses for production.
About Renesas Electronics America Inc.
Renesas Electronics America Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), the world's number one supplier of microcontrollers and a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions including microcontrollers, SoC solutions, and a broad range of analog and power devices. In the Americas, Renesas Electronics America markets and sells industrial-type active-matrix LCD modules from NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd., a global leader in innovative display technologies. More information about the products offered by Renesas Electronics America can be found at www.renesas.com.
Bluetooth is a registered trademark of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).
The content in the press release, including, but not limited to, product prices and specifications, is based on the information as of the date indicated on the document, but may be subject to change without prior notice.