Are We Too Hard On Artificial Intelligence For Autonomous Driving?


I recently attended and presented at Detroit's "Implementation of ISO 26262 & SOTIF" conference. Its subtitle was "Taking an Integrated Approach to Automotive Safety." After three days, my head was spinning with numbers of ISO/SAE and other standards. And at the end of day two, after yet another example that tricked autonomous driving prototypes into behaving wrongly, I sighed and asked whe... » read more

The Automotive Paradigm Shift


We are currently experiencing a pivotal moment concerning the automotive industry. Three major technology areas are converging. First, there is an enormous demand for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) coupled with the increasing trend toward autonomy. Second is the digitization and electrification of everything, which is driving the need for efficient compute. Third is the trend to high... » read more

Scalability: A Looming Problem In Safety Analysis


The boundless possibilities of automation in cars and other vehicles have captivated designers to the point that electronic content is now a stronger driver of differentiation than any other factor. It accounts for a substantial fraction of material cost in any of these vehicles. But this revolution in automotive technology comes with a caveat. In other applications, an electronics problem may ... » read more

Time For FMEDA Reuse?


How do designers quantify safety in electronic systems? Through one or more tables called Failure Modes, Effects and Diagnostic Analysis – FMEDA. In fact, an FMEDA does not have to be a table; it could be manifested in scripts or some other form, but a table is the easiest way to think of this information. Think of an FMEDA for an IP, as the concept extends easily to a system-on-chip (SoC). T... » read more

Traceability Is Not My Problem (Is It?)


What is all the fuss about traceability? If it is that important, should it be handled by a compliance group? Delegating to a separate team would be the preference for most design and verification team members, but it is not possible in this case. Traceability stops short of a big brother organization constantly looking over the shoulders of the development team. The more reasonable approach is... » read more

Optimizing NoC-Based Designs


Semiconductor development is currently in a phase of rapid evolution driven by the combination of new technologies and methodologies. The technique of combining multiple functions into systems-on-chips (SoCs) is continuing to grow in complexity. Rapid advancement in new technologies for market segments like data centers, robotics, ADAS and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) are re... » read more

Where Do Memory Maps Come From?


A memory map is the bridge between a system-on-chip (SoC) and the firmware and software that is executed on it. Engineers may assume the map automatically appears, but the reality is much more involved. The union of hardware (HW) and software (SW) demands both planning and compromise. The outcome of this merger will not be fully realized until the magical day when the system comes to life. T... » read more

Verification Signoff Beyond Coverage


A common design view of verification signoff is to start with a comprehensive verification plan, covering every requirement defined among specifications and use-cases, the architectural definition, and any other relevant documents. Tests are then developed to cover every feature of the verification plan. Those tests are run and debugged, and identified issues are addressed within the design. Th... » read more

Traceability, Unfamiliar But Critical


Many understand that traceability is a popular concept. Still, understanding traceability in detail is more challenging, especially in how it connects to familiar objectives in the semiconductor design space. A simple way to understand is this: When a customer (call them C) asks a semiconductor supplier (call them S) to build a device to meet a system objective, they provide S with specificatio... » read more

More NoC Wisdom


A common experience for anyone promoting a disruptive technology is that prospective customers understand that what is being offered is different. Still, without a familiar reference to compare, they extrapolate expectations unreliably. Sometimes expectations are extrapolated to infinity: “My existing solution has limitations, but the new technology should have no limitations.” Sometimes ex... » read more

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