Broadcom Adds New Wireless Connectivity Chips to Automotive Portfolio

Industry's Broadest Line of Automotive-Grade Devices Meets Growing Demand for Seamless In-Vehicle Connectivity

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

News Highlights:

• Continues Broadcom momentum in fast-growing connected car market
• Highly integrated devices optimized for automotive infotainment and telematics systems
• Enables end-to-end ecosystem support for wide range of mobile devices and wearables

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced two new connectivity chips in its automotive portfolio. Broadcom's automotive-grade wireless chips, featuring the latest in 5G WiFi and Bluetooth Smart technology, enable car makers and tier one integrators to keep pace with the speed and growth of consumer electronics and Internet of Things (IoT) industry. The new solutions deliver high-speed connectivity within and beyond the vehicle, providing Internet, cloud applications and entertainment content via telematics or hot spot connections. For more news, visit Broadcom's[Newsroom][1].

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) system-on-a-chip (SoC). Optimized to meet the rigorous standards of the automotive industry, all products have been tested to AECQ100 automotive environmental stress requirements, are manufactured in TS16949 certified facilities and offer full production part approval process (PPAP) support.

"Broadcom's new 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, Broadcom Director of Automotive Wireless Connectivity. "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 Strategy Analytics' Richard Robinson, 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."

Key Features

• BCM89359 5G WiFi/Bluetooth Smart 2X2 MIMO Combo Chip with RSDB Support

  • Optimized 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.
  • RSDB support enables simultaneous connectivity to the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz 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 Wi-Fi Internet access and 2.4GHz Bluetooth hands-free audio.
  • 2x2 MIMO technology delivers twice the Wi-Fi 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 maximize voice quality and data access speed in simultaneous operation.

• BCM89072 Tri-mode Bluetooth Smart v4.2 SoC

  • 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 Bluetooth Low Energy), 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.

Availability

The BCM89359 and BCM89072 reference boards are available today.