Texas Instruments has unveiled a Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) system-on-chip for in-car connectivity, as it continues to place itself at the center of a widening ecosystem for the standard.
The SimpleLink Bluetooth Low Energy CC2541-Q1 SoC is also targeted at automotive control systems, wire replacement, manufacturing and design, and smartphone controlled applications and comes in a 6mmx6mm form factor. The module could enable vehicle manufacturers to simplify designs through reducing wiring requirements and create modular and easily upgradeable configurations for customizable in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems that might extend revenues into the secondhand market.
TI recently announced a partner program for IoT, to help link together devices and services from different companies, with special focus on BLE. Initial members include 2lemetry, ARM, Arrayent, Exosite, IBM, LogMeIn (Xively), Spark, and Thingsquare. TI will provide cloud services for any partners using its chips in IoT applications and expects several early collaborations to be centered on automotive.
For its new product, the microcontroller unit combines the TI Bluetooth Smart CC2541 SoC, the WiLink 8Q automotive connectivity module (WiFi, Bluetooth, GNSS, with support for QNX, Linux and Android) and the dual-mode Bluetooth BL6450Q.
The CC2541-Q1 has been designed to pass the Automotive Electronics Council Q100 stress test qualification, which includes power cycling, liquid-to-liquid thermal shock, instant solder shock and 100% oxide stress tests to simulate the worst-case operational conditions. The MCU is rated to operate between minus 45⁰C and 105⁰C.
The MCU is aimed at the emerging market of automobiles that are incorporating BLE for information and control systems. A smartphone will allow a user to gain keyless entry via phone or Bluetooth fob, access diagnostic information for warning lights, pair phones with in-car services and access iBeacons.
Manufacturers will also be able to use Bluetooth within the car’s construction as a wire-replacement technology. Using integrated or independent BLE systems to control door locks, speakers and other electronics in the car will save on the wiring costs and could help reduce complexity when repairing or upgrading the vehicle. Of course, the savings made in buying less wiring must be rolled into purchasing the BLE modules.
One possible use case is found in constructing a base model car with full Bluetooth controls already integrated, and then installing the relevant IVI systems on a modular basis.
In this scenario, a headrest on a seat could be replaced with a part that contains a screen should a buyer want to fit a comprehensive IVI system in their new car (or indeed an upgrade to a secondhand car). As the headrest would communicate via BLE, the seat would only require power wiring to the headrest and not the multiple connections for conveying data and controls.
A similar approach could be taken with the center console and steering wheel, allowing quick and relatively painless upgrades to spec a car to requirements that could even be done in-dealership while the customer waits’ reducing the time to deliver a new car to a buyer.
The modular system that BLE could provide to automotive manufacturers also allows them to generate revenue through the secondhand market. In general, the mechanics of a car are quite capable of lasting 10 years, over the course of which the car might have multiple owners who are happy to replace the head gasket, spark plugs and tires but who currently lack convenient options when it comes to the interior electrics.
Over the course of those 10 years, the original IVI system will begin to show its age or lose compatibility with handsets, but the modular BLE design means that aftermarket parts could be sold to the second or third buyers who might want to quickly upgrade a mechanically sound car to one that is up to date in its software and entertainment options. This is not a simple process if all the communications wiring has to be removed and replaced.
The CC2541-Q1 comes with TI’s royalty-free BLE-Stack software, which supports over-the-air download for in-field updates and apps written directly to the MCU. It has 256KB of flash memory and 8KB of RAM.
TI claims that the module can run on a coin cell battery thanks to its ultra-low power consumption, which draws 0.5 microamps when in sleep while retaining Real Time Clock and RAM settings. There is no word on the battery-life of the MCU, but that of course is dependent on its usage in the car. Units such as the above examples would have to be powered by the car battery and alternator, so battery life is less of a concern for TVs and speakers but something of an imperative for the locks, lights and windows.
This wire-reduction could be extended into other design environments. Houses, consumer electronics and industrial processes all stand to benefit from having fewer wires in the design. However, some manufacturers and consumers will be reluctant to trust Bluetooth as the key to their car. This problem can be easily circumvented with dedicated security wiring and circuitry in the car as a baseline, with Bluetooth added on top for the less essential systems.