STMicroelectronics future-proofs the development of next-gen cars with innovative memory solution for automotive microcontrollers
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) has unveiled Stellar with xMemory, a groundbreaking memory solution for automotive microcontrollers designed to simplify the development of software-defined vehicles (SDV) and electric vehicle platforms. The technology, based on proprietary phase-change memory (PCM), will enter production in late 2025.
The innovation allows for extensible memory embedded into the Stellar series, enabling carmakers to future-proof their designs with a single device instead of managing multiple memory options. The solution will debut on Stellar P6 MCUs, targeting new drivetrain trends and EV architectures.
The technology features the industry's smallest embedded Non-Volatile Memory cell size, with PCM fabricated at 18nm and 28nm nodes providing twice the memory density of alternative technologies. This addresses the growing memory demands of AI applications, over-the-air updates, and increasing software complexity in automotive systems.
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) ha presentato Stellar con xMemory, una soluzione di memoria innovativa per microcontrollori automotive progettata per semplificare lo sviluppo di veicoli definiti dal software (SDV) e piattaforme di veicoli elettrici. La tecnologia, basata sulla memoria a cambiamento di fase proprietaria (PCM), entrerà in produzione alla fine del 2025.
L'innovazione consente una memoria estendibile integrata nella serie Stellar, permettendo ai costruttori di auto di rendere i loro progetti a prova di futuro con un unico dispositivo, evitando la gestione di diverse opzioni di memoria. La soluzione debutterà sui microcontrollori Stellar P6, rivolti alle nuove tendenze nei sistemi di propulsione e nelle architetture dei veicoli elettrici.
La tecnologia presenta la cella di memoria non volatile integrata più piccola del settore, con PCM realizzato a 18nm e 28nm, offrendo il doppio della densità di memoria rispetto alle tecnologie alternative. Questo risponde alle crescenti esigenze di memoria per applicazioni di intelligenza artificiale, aggiornamenti over-the-air e alla crescente complessità software nei sistemi automotive.
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) ha presentado Stellar con xMemory, una solución de memoria innovadora para microcontroladores automotrices diseñada para simplificar el desarrollo de vehículos definidos por software (SDV) y plataformas de vehículos eléctricos. La tecnología, basada en memoria de cambio de fase (PCM) propietaria, entrará en producción a finales de 2025.
La innovación permite una memoria extensible integrada en la serie Stellar, lo que permite a los fabricantes de automóviles proteger sus diseños para el futuro con un solo dispositivo en lugar de gestionar múltiples opciones de memoria. La solución debutará en los MCUs Stellar P6, enfocándose en las nuevas tendencias de trenes motrices y arquitecturas de vehículos eléctricos.
La tecnología cuenta con la celda de memoria no volátil integrada más pequeña de la industria, con PCM fabricado en nodos de 18nm y 28nm que proporcionan el doble de densidad de memoria en comparación con tecnologías alternativas. Esto responde a la creciente demanda de memoria para aplicaciones de inteligencia artificial, actualizaciones over-the-air y la creciente complejidad del software en los sistemas automotrices.
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM)는 소프트웨어 정의 차량(SDV) 및 전기차 플랫폼 개발을 간소화하기 위해 설계된 자동차용 마이크로컨트롤러용 혁신적인 메모리 솔루션인 Stellar with xMemory를 공개했습니다. 이 기술은 독자적인 상변화 메모리(PCM)를 기반으로 하며 2025년 말에 생산에 들어갈 예정입니다.
이 혁신은 Stellar 시리즈에 내장된 확장 가능한 메모리를 가능하게 하여 자동차 제조업체가 여러 메모리 옵션을 관리하는 대신 단일 장치로 설계를 미래 지향적으로 만들 수 있게 합니다. 이 솔루션은 새로운 드라이브트레인 트렌드와 전기차 아키텍처를 겨냥한 Stellar P6 MCU에서 처음 선보일 예정입니다.
이 기술은 업계에서 가장 작은 내장 비휘발성 메모리 셀 크기를 특징으로 하며, 18nm 및 28nm 공정으로 제작된 PCM은 대체 기술 대비 두 배의 메모리 밀도를 제공합니다. 이는 인공지능 애플리케이션, 무선 업데이트, 그리고 자동차 시스템 내 증가하는 소프트웨어 복잡성에 따른 메모리 수요 증가에 대응합니다.
STMicroelectronics (NYSE : STM) a dévoilé Stellar avec xMemory, une solution mémoire révolutionnaire pour microcontrôleurs automobiles conçue pour simplifier le développement de véhicules définis par logiciel (SDV) et de plateformes de véhicules électriques. Cette technologie, basée sur une mémoire à changement de phase (PCM) propriétaire, entrera en production fin 2025.
Cette innovation permet une mémoire extensible intégrée à la série Stellar, offrant aux constructeurs automobiles la possibilité de pérenniser leurs conceptions avec un seul dispositif, au lieu de gérer plusieurs options de mémoire. La solution fera ses débuts sur les MCU Stellar P6, ciblant les nouvelles tendances des groupes motopropulseurs et des architectures de véhicules électriques.
La technologie présente la plus petite cellule de mémoire non volatile intégrée de l'industrie, avec un PCM fabriqué en 18 nm et 28 nm, offrant une densité mémoire deux fois supérieure aux technologies alternatives. Cela répond aux besoins croissants en mémoire des applications d'intelligence artificielle, des mises à jour over-the-air et à la complexité logicielle croissante des systèmes automobiles.
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) hat Stellar mit xMemory vorgestellt, eine bahnbrechende Speicherlösung für Automotive-Mikrocontroller, die die Entwicklung softwaredefinierter Fahrzeuge (SDV) und Plattformen für Elektrofahrzeuge vereinfachen soll. Die Technologie basiert auf proprietärem Phasenwechsel-Speicher (PCM) und wird Ende 2025 in Produktion gehen.
Die Innovation ermöglicht erweiterbaren Speicher, der in die Stellar-Serie eingebettet ist, sodass Automobilhersteller ihre Designs mit einem einzigen Bauteil zukunftssicher gestalten können, anstatt mehrere Speicheroptionen verwalten zu müssen. Die Lösung wird erstmals in den Stellar P6 MCUs eingesetzt, die auf neue Antriebstrends und EV-Architekturen abzielen.
Die Technologie verfügt über die kleinste integrierte nichtflüchtige Speicherzelle der Branche, wobei PCM in 18-nm- und 28-nm-Technologie gefertigt wird und die doppelte Speicherdichte im Vergleich zu alternativen Technologien bietet. Damit wird dem wachsenden Speicherbedarf von KI-Anwendungen, Over-the-Air-Updates und der zunehmenden Softwarekomplexität in Fahrzeugsystemen Rechnung getragen.
- Innovative memory solution enables future scalability and reduces development costs
- Technology provides twice the memory density of competing solutions
- Simplifies supply chain and reduces time-to-market for automotive manufacturers
- Enables post-launch memory upgrades through OTA updates
- Production won't start until late 2025, potentially limiting near-term revenue impact
Insights
STMicroelectronics' new Stellar microcontrollers with xMemory represent a significant advancement in automotive semiconductor technology, directly addressing a critical pain point in developing software-defined vehicles. The innovation tackles the memory bottleneck that typically forces automakers to either over-specify memory (increasing costs) or under-specify and risk costly redesigns later.
The extensible memory architecture, based on ST's proprietary phase-change memory (PCM) technology, enables unprecedented flexibility by allowing memory expansion during development or even after vehicles are in the field. This directly addresses the unpredictable memory requirements driven by growing software complexity, AI applications, and over-the-air updates.
The technical specifications are impressive - ST claims the industry's smallest embedded non-volatile memory cell size with PCM fabricated at 18nm and 28nm nodes, providing twice the memory density of competing technologies like RRAM, MRAM, and Flash. The endorsement from Bosch, a tier-one automotive supplier, adds significant credibility to this technology.
With production starting in 2025 on Stellar P6 MCUs targeting electric vehicle drivetrains, this positions ST strategically in the automotive market transition to software-defined architectures. By simplifying the computing platform while allowing for continuous innovation, ST is offering automakers a tool to reduce development costs, accelerate time-to-market, and extend vehicle lifetimes - addressing multiple critical challenges in modern vehicle development simultaneously.
STMicroelectronics future-proofs the development of next-gen cars
with innovative memory solution for automotive microcontrollers
- New Stellar microcontrollers with xMemory enable simpler, more scalable computing platform for developing software-defined vehicles and evolving electric vehicle architectures
- Extensible capability equips carmakers for continuous innovation, including more memory-hungry AI applications
- xMemory, based on ST proprietary phase-change memory (PCM) technology, will start production later in 2025
Geneva, Switzerland, April 16, 2025 -- STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has announced Stellar with xMemory, a new generation of extensible memory embedded into its Stellar series of automotive microcontrollers, that transforms the challenging process of developing software-defined vehicles (SDV) and evolving platforms for electrification.
Instead of managing multiple devices with varying memory options and the associated development and qualification costs, Stellar with xMemory introduces a single, innovative device with extensible memory, providing customers with an efficient and cost-effective solution. This simpler approach from the start enables carmakers to future-proof their designs, with room for additional innovation later in their development cycle, reducing development costs and accelerating time to market with a simpler supply chain. Stellar with xMemory will be first available on the Stellar P6 MCUs, which target the new drivetrain trends and architectures for electric vehicles (EVs), with production to start later in 2025.
"ST has developed the ultimate memory technology for the automobile market with the smallest bit cell to meet the endless need for more memory. Stellar with xMemory will streamline the car architectures of tomorrow, making them more cost-effective and significantly reduce development time for carmakers,” said Luca Rodeschini, Group Vice President and General Purpose and Automotive Microcontrollers Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “This innovative solution enables the same hardware to ensure carmakers have the infrastructure and capabilities with the headroom to continuously innovate their products over time. It provides peace of mind to introduce new innovations in digitalization and electrification, allowing them to stay ahead in the market and extend the lifetime of their vehicles."
“With the embedded Phase Change Memory (PCM) technology, Stellar offers a robust and flexible memory concept to create highly performant, adaptable microcontrollers for automotive usage. The technology provides application advantages compared to other memory technologies, such as RRAM and MRAM,” said Axel Aue, Vice President, Bosch.
“By choosing an extensible MCU like Stellar with xMemory, engineers can avoid costly hardware redesigns to support software features. As software inevitably grows, whether during the initial development or through post-launch OTA updates, the same platform can be upgraded in the field, significantly reducing time-to-market and maintenance costs. A solution like Stellar with xMemory also enables simplified logistics and bill of material efficiency,” said Anshel Sag, Principal Analyst, Moor Insights & Strategy.
How it works
Carmakers need seamless integration of software and hardware to maximize reuse across platforms, extend vehicle longevity and enhance digital capabilities. Memory becomes a bottleneck as software complexity grows, driven by new features and regulations, memory-hungry AI and Machine Learning applications, and over-the-air (OTA) updates. ST’s xMemory addresses this challenge by extending the memory either during the development phase or when vehicle is in the field, giving them unlimited application upgrades.
Selecting the right MCU at the start of the SDV lifecycle ensures sufficient on-chip memory for future software development. Today’s choice of over-specifying memory increases costs, while under-specifying may necessitate finding and re-qualifying a different MCU with extra memory later, adding complexity, cost, and delays. Stellar MCUs with xMemory are competitively priced to bring additional savings, simplify the OEM supply chain, and accelerate time to market by lengthening the product lifetime and maximizing reuse across projects to reduce time for qualification.
Technical notes for editors on PCM and Stellar:
ST has been at the forefront of the transition from Flash to eNVM technology in automotive MCUs, introducing the first 28nm eNVM qualified for automotive applications, which is at the core of the xMemory. ST’s embedded Phase-Change Memory (ePCM) has the best power, performance, area (PPA) index of NVM technologies such as RRAM, MRAM, and Flash.
With the industry’s smallest eNVM cell size, PCM fabricated at 18nm and 28nm nodes provides twice the memory density of other technologies.
The latest-generation PCM technology will be available on all upcoming Arm®-based Stellar P and G automotive MCUs. The Stellar family is dedicated to automotive applications and simplifies vehicle electrical architectures for increased power, flexibility, and safety. The portfolio includes Stellar Integration MCUs (Stellar P and Stellar G series) for centralized zone and domain controllers and body applications, which consolidate the functions of multiple, separate communication and control ECUs, and Stellar Electrification MCUs (Stellar E series), which are optimized for control of EV traction-module power converters.
For more information, please go to www.st.com/stellar-xmemory
About STMicroelectronics
At ST, we are 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are on track to be carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our
Further information can be found at www.st.com.
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Attachments
- T4687A --Apr 16 2025 -- Stellar MCUs with Extensible Memory_FINAL FOR PUBLICATION
- T4687A --Apr 16 2025 -- Stellar MCUs with Extensible Memory_IMAGE
FAQ
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