BMW’s new M series cars will include an engine control unit based on Infineon Technologies’ TriCore processor architecture. The ECU is currently under development, with Infineon focusing on integrating its 32-bit flash AUDO Future microcontroller chip into the system and providing tech support. Like its predecessors, the M series engine will feature reduced fuel consumption and meet an entire range of current worldwide automotive emissions standards, including EURO5 and US-LEV2. Achieving these specs will require highly innovative engine control. The TriCore processor architecture combines the capabilities of a microprocessor, a microcontroller, and a digital signal processor on one chip. In addition to the TriCore architecture, which is optimized for real-time processing, the AUDO Future product family includes intelligent peripherals, such as the MultiLink Interface (MLI). Designed specifically to meet the advanced requirements of sophisticated engine control systems, the MLI can connect multiple AUDO microcontrollers to one another, enabling them to share data at rates of up to 37.5 Mbits/s. "The 32-bit flash microcontroller from the Infineon AUDO Future family meets our high performance and functionality requirements, and offers us an ideal platform for our next-generation of control units," Herbert Bayerl, head of the engine control unit development at BMW, said in a statement.