NXP Introduces Industry’s First Automotive-Qualified Bluetooth 5-Ready Wireless Microcontrollers with integrated CAN-FD

SANTA CLARA, California, (ARM TECHCON 2017) – October 24, 2017 – NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) today announced its Kinetis KW35/36 MCU family, the industry’s first automotive-qualified Bluetooth 5-ready wireless MCU family with integrated CAN-FD connectivity. Its AEC Q100-Grade 2 temperature range qualification paired with the latest Bluetooth technology enables this new MCU family to offer superior durability and performance in automotive applications.

The Kinetis KW35/36 Bluetooth technology is designed to simplify integration of Bluetooth connectivity in cars, enabling automotive manufacturers to deliver added convenience for consumers to control many features using their smartphones, for example unlocking a car, remotely sharing keys with a friend or relative, personalizing seat positions as well as temperature and infotainment settings and controlling interior and/or exterior lighting. As a market leader in automotive and security solutions, the new Kinetis KW35/36 wireless MCU family complements the company’s automotive secure access portfolio as it can be used to add a smartphone car access option next to the current passive entry and start system. Emerging BLE smartphone car access systems typically come with an NFC backup option to cover low battery situations. The MCU’s Bluetooth connectivity can also be used to communicate car diagnostics such as tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) as well as battery and fuel levels.

“With our deep customer intimacy and leadership in automotive, the Kinetis KW35/36 wireless MCU family represents our commitment to deliver innovative solutions that drive better experiences for drivers around the world. This family is the industry’s first automotive-qualified BLE family of MCUs with CAN-FD allowing for easy integration into an auto in-vehicle communication network,” said Emmanuel Sambuis, Vice President of Microcontrollers and Connectivity at NXP. “Our goal has always been to provide more secure, connected experiences for drivers. Combining our connectivity technology with automotive grade expectations opens up new opportunities for car manufacturers and drivers.”

Kinetis KW35/36 MCU Family Features:

• Eight concurrent secure connections for multiple authorized users.
• Hardware and software features for smartphone-to-car connectivity.
• Low power consumption to extend battery life
• Bluetooth 5 certified software stack
• CAN and LIN drivers to enable easy integration into auto in-vehicle communication networks
• 6 mm x 6 mm QFN package with wettable flanks package technology to facilitate optical inspection of the soldering, reducing cost and increasing reliability
• MCUXpresso software and tools for ease of development
• FRDM-KW36 development board for Kinetis KW35/36 MCUs with 2.4 GHz BLE and generic FSK wireless connectivity and CAN/LIN wired connectivity solutions
• USB-KW41Z USB dongle for sniffer operations

Availability
The new Kinetis KW35/KW36 MCU family is sampling now and will be available in volume production in Q2 2018. For more information, visit www.nxp.com/Wireless/KinetisKW35.