Enhancing Automotive Safety with an IEC 61508 Compliant Processor Solution

Accelerating the trend toward safer but less complex automotive chassis control applications, Texas Instruments has introduced a new symmetrical dual-core microcontroller (MCU). Described in this article, the TMS570 MCU is the first automotive processor solution to support a certification based on the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508 SIL3 standard — the highest level of safety designated for automotive applications. Co-developed with Robert Bosch GmbH, a leading global supplier of automotive technology, the TMS570 MCU will be implemented in next generation braking, steering and chassis control applications.