Revolutionizing Automotive Electronics with AI & Chiplets

Unlocking the Future of Automotive Electronics: Compute, Sensing, and Connectivity Trends

The world of automotive technology is evolving rapidly, and it’s not just about making cars faster or more fuel-efficient anymore. The new frontier is the smart car—a car that sees, thinks, and even communicates. From autonomous driving to cutting-edge in-cabin experiences, automotive electronics are shaping the future of transportation. But as car manufacturers strive to meet rising consumer demand for advanced functionality while keeping costs low, they face a delicate balancing act. Enter Cadence and their groundbreaking solutions that help manufacturers navigate this complex landscape.

The Pillars of Automotive Innovation: Autonomy, Electrification, and the Cockpit Revolution

The automotive industry is in the midst of an exciting transformation, driven by three key pillars: autonomy, electrification, and cockpit innovation. Autonomy continues to progress, from basic driver-assist features to fully autonomous vehicles, while electrification is pushing the boundaries of how cars are powered and how sustainable they can be. But perhaps one of the most fascinating trends is the evolution of the car cockpit—once a simple dashboard, now a hub for infotainment, connectivity, driver and occupancy monitoring, and even health monitoring.

Yet, as automakers rush to integrate these innovations, they also face immense pressure to minimize costs, especially when it comes to the bill of materials. How can they offer advanced functionality while keeping production costs manageable? The answer lies in software-defined solutions and higher levels of integration in sensing and communication systems. This is where Cadence's advanced technologies come into play.

The Role of Sensing in Modern Vehicles

Today's cars are equipped with 40+ sensors—cameras, radar, lidar, and even thermal sensors. These sensors play critical roles in ensuring safety and performance. Some sensors are designed for long-range collision avoidance while others are used for detailed scene analysis. But sensors on their own aren’t enough. They need to work together seamlessly through sensor fusion to provide accurate, reliable data in all conditions.

For example, vision and radar can work together to complement each other, improving object detection even in low-light conditions. Meanwhile, driver monitoring systems (DMS) use cameras to track the driver’s gaze and head position, helping ensure they’re focused on the road. But there’s more: occupant monitoring systems (OMS) use radar and cameras to ensure that everyone in the car is safe, even detecting objects that are out of the driver’s sight range, like small children or pets in the footwell.

These sensor streams require specialized conditioning before they’re processed by artificial intelligence (AI). Whether it’s image signal processing for cameras, radar processing for Doppler and range, or LIDAR point cloud generation, each sensor requires a dedicated pipeline. This is where Cadence’s Tensilica DSPs come in, providing robust solutions for vision, radar, and signal processing. Additionally, their Neo family of NPUs handles AI processing, allowing for efficient object detection and classification in real-time.

Levels of Autonomy and the Need for Multi-Purpose SoCs

As automotive systems become more advanced, they’re classified into different levels of autonomy, from L1 (driver assistance) to L5 (full autonomy). At each level, there are different hardware and software requirements. Cadence provides comprehensive support for these varying needs, with ASIL B or ASIL D certifications as required for functional safety.

In the push for affordability and software-driven flexibility, automakers are increasingly turning to multi-purpose System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. These chips can handle multiple compute needs—from edge computing and zonal controllers to central processing systems—allowing them to adapt to the ever-evolving demands of the automotive landscape.

Chiplet Integration: The Key to Scaling Functionality

One of the challenges facing the industry is how to integrate all of these functionalities into a single, efficient package. This is where chiplet technology becomes a game-changer. Chiplets allow for modular integration of various subsystems, such as video processing, radar streams, AI recognition, and connectivity functions, into a cohesive whole. These chiplets can be connected through protocols like PCIe, MIPI, and Ethernet, ensuring high-bandwidth communication and low-latency data transfer.

Cadence’s interface solutions, such as PCIe Gen 3.1 through Gen7, MIPI CSI-2, and Ethernet, are paving the way for chiplet-based systems in automotive electronics. These solutions support high-speed data transfer, making them ideal for sensor fusion, AI inference, and connectivity across a wide range of automotive applications.

To accelerate the adoption of chiplets, Cadence has even released a reference chiplet that designers can use to prototype and test their own systems. This tool has been actively deployed across OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, helping them build the next generation of automotive electronics.

The Future of Automotive Connectivity and Intelligence

As cars become more connected and intelligent, the role of AI, sensor fusion, and chiplet integration will only increase. With the Tensilica DSPs, Neo NPUs, and chiplet technologies that Cadence offers, the automotive industry is poised to accelerate its transition toward intelligent, connected vehicles. Whether you’re designing for autonomous driving, driver safety, or infotainment, Cadence’s comprehensive solutions ensure you can build the future of automotive electronics, today.

For more information about the cutting-edge technologies and solutions Cadence is offering to the automotive sector, check out the full webinar and product offerings.

Source - Semiwiki