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Freescale Ships One Million MPC5500 Family Microcontrollers to the Automotive Industry

AUSTIN, Texas--Freescale Semiconductor, the leading supplier of semiconductors to the automotive industry, has shipped more than one million MPC5500 family microcontrollers (MCUs) with zero-defect quality. Based on Power Architecture™ technology and system-on-chip (SoC) design, the 32-bit MCU family offers advanced features that help make cars safer and more fuel efficient while reducing harmful emissions. The MPC5500 MCUs target a broad range of automotive applications, including powertrain control, advanced safety, driver assistance, chassis and body electronics.

Freescale achieved the million-device milestone based on shipments of the MPC5554 MCU, which began volume production in February 2006. The MPC5554 is the first device in a growing automotive SoC family that also includes the following 32-bit MCUs:

  • MPC5510: Freescale’s first dual-core automotive MCU family, optimized for low-end body electronics
  • MPC5534/33: First Freescale automotive MCU with variable-length encoding (VLE) for improved code density; the MPC5533 offers reduced memory for cost-sensitive applications
  • MPC5553: First Freescale automotive MCU to support fast Ethernet
  • MPC5561: First Freescale MCU to include FlexRay™ technology, designed to enable a 10x increase in in-vehicle network bandwidth over previous networking technologies
  • MPC5566: The industry’s first MCU to integrate 3MB of flash memory, making it an ideal solution for memory-intensive powertrain applications
  • MPC5567: The industry’s first 32-bit flash-based MCU with FlexRay technology.

“By using a synthesizable SoC methodology, we are able to bring 32-bit MCU products to market quickly to address customer needs across a broad spectrum of demanding automotive applications,” said Mike McCourt, vice president and general manager of Freescale's Microcontroller Division. “Automakers require zero-defect quality from reliable, robust integrated circuits that can withstand extreme temperatures, harsh environments and transient electrical loads. Freescale has met these challenges with the MPC5500 MCU family, now shipping in high volume with no failures to date.”

The MPC5500 family is built on 130-nanometer (nm) process technology and based on the power-efficient e200 Power Architecture core. In February 2006, STMicroelectronics and Freescale announced a collaboration agreement that outlines joint design of 32-bit automotive MCUs based on Power Architecture technology, including future 90-nm products with dual-source options available for these devices.

As a testament to the MPC5500 family’s high quality and industry acceptance, General Motors announced its global adoption of the family in GM powertrain engine control systems. GM also awarded Freescale its coveted Supplier of the Year award for 2004 and 2005.

For more information about Freescale’s MPC5500 family and automotive MCUs, visit www.freescale.com/files/pr/mpc5500.html.

Freescale: The leader in automotive semiconductors

Freescale is the No. 1 supplier of automotive semiconductors, with more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry. Freescale technology is used in an overwhelming majority of new vehicles. Freescale’s sensors, analog products and 8-, 16- and 32-bit microcontroller families provide intelligence and connectivity for advanced safety, body electronics, chassis, engine control, powertrain, driver information and telematics. Freescale is a pioneer in FlexRay™ technology and was the first supplier to integrate CAN, LIN and flash memory technologies on automotive MCUs.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with sales of $6.2 billion (USD) for the previous four quarters. www.freescale.com

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Freescale™ and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. The Power Architecture and Power.org wordmarks and the Power and Power.org logos and related marks are trademarks and service marks licensed by Power.org. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. 2006.