Western Digital is a well-known name in storage technology, but many may not know about its OEM products or those targeting the automotive market (Fig. 1). The latest automotive storage devices are needed to address a range of applications, from digital clusters to V2X communications. ADAS systems and self-driving vehicles have massive storage requirements, and they require devices that can stand the heat… and cold.
1. Western Digital has a long track record in the automotive space. It acquired Hitachi and San Disk many years ago.
The new iNAND AT EM132 (Fig. 2) is just the latest in a string of high-reliability, high-capacity storage solutions designed for rugged applications. The e.MMC chip has a 256-GB capacity using 64-layer, TLC NAND flash technology.
2. Western Digital’s iNAND AT EM132 e.MMC chip stores 256 GB of data using multilayer TLC NAND flash technology.
The iNAND AT EM132 provides advanced health monitoring as well as thermal-management support. The chip also supports robust power management. Developers can utilize automatic or manual read refresh. Its data-retention specifications exceed the JEDEC standards for this type of storage. The IATF16949-certified, AEC-Q100-compliant chip adheres to the ISO26262 NAND flash Safety Mechanisms guidelines. PPAP L3 documentation is available.
This is the first e.MMC chip to take advantage of the multilayer, TLC NAND flash technology. The 256-GB capacity is impressive. And it incorporates enterprise-class ECC support as well as alpha particle protection and power protection.
