DETROIT-Xilinx Inc. announced at SAE Convergence 2010 three automotive Targeted Design Platforms that enable automotive system designers to use field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology to meet the advanced performance and integration requirements of driver assistance, driver information and infotainment systems. With Xilinx Automotive (XA) Spartan-6 FPGAs providing the parallel-processing and real-time performance needed to drive complex multi-camera systems and a widening array of onboard devices focused on the driver and passenger experience, the platforms reduce development risk by providing a framework from which designers can focus on customization and product differentiation.

"Xilinx's targeted design platform approach for automotive makes it easier and faster for designers and manufacturers to deliver automotive systems requiring high-bandwidth connectivity, high-speed image processing, and high-resolution display performance," said Harvey Steele, vice president of segment marketing at Xilinx. "By leveraging existing intellectual property (IP), design methodologies and industry-leading FPGAs, Xilinx can help automotive designers spend more time focused on creating unique value in their systems, thereby speeding both time-to-demonstration and time-to-market."

The ever-increasing demand for driver assistance, driver information and infotainment features and performance requires increased integration and higher performance of onboard electronic systems in both luxury and lower-priced automobiles alike. Xilinx's targeted design platform and comprehensive design ecosystem provide the development boards, kits, IP cores, tools and silicon so that automotive designers can focus on adding unique value rather than spending too much time on design basics such as connectivity or DSP functionality.

"FPGA-based solutions can speed up development times, and time-to-demo, by re-using large parts of the design, only changing interfacing or features as needed to scale between platforms or between different OEM requirements," said Davor Kovacec, CEO at Xylon, a Xilinx Alliance Program member. "A great example is our logiCRAFT Companion Chip Kit, which is compatible with multiple host processors using industry standard interfacing and offers many of the features needed in infotainment system application development already right out of the box so that designers can focus on product differentiation."