CASE STUDY SNAPSHOT
Customer : Renesas - A leading Silicon VendorSize : >1000 – 10000
Project vertical : Automotive
Challenge : Developing a high-performance evaluation kit capable of demonstrating the significant capabilities of Renesas RCar M3e-2G SoC.
Solution : A comprehensive Application Development Kit (ADK) featuring custom hardware design, Android Auto 14 porting, Vehicle HAL implementation, and FreeRTOS integration for real-time vehicle logic.
Services & Products Availed : Turnkey Product Engineering, Hardware Design, Firmware Development, Android System Integration, Automotive Software Services,
Tools and Technologies :
- Key Hardware: Renesas R-Car M3e-2G SoC (Cortex-A & Cortex-R7)
- Operating Systems: Android 14, FreeRTOS
- Connectivity: CAN (Isolated), WiFi/Bluetooth (PCIe), MIPI-CSI (Flex PCB), LVDS, HDMI, RGB
- Storage: QSPI, eMMC
- Languages/Frameworks: C, C++, Java, Android HIDL/AIDL, Vehicle HAL
Introduction
Renesas is a global leader in semiconductor solutions, catering to multiple domains including automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. They required a high-performance Application Development Kit (ADK) to showcase the advanced capabilities of their R-Car M3e-2G SoC. They approached Embien, a long-standing partner of Renesas, to design a turnkey solution targeted at the automotive infotainment market, requiring complex multi-display synchronization and high-speed peripheral integration to impress global automotive OEMs.
Challenge
The primary challenge lay in the heterogeneous nature of the R Car M3e 2G architecture. The system needed to drive three distinct displays simultaneously: a Digital Cluster (via Cortex R7), an Infotainment unit (via Cortex A cores), and a Head Up Display (HUD). Coordinating these displays while ensuring zero latency real time vehicle logic execution was critical. Additionally, the project demanded the integration of Android 14, a cutting edge version at the time, requiring stable Vehicle HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) implementation. Supporting high speed interfaces like PCIe for WiFi and BT and specialized Flex PCB MIPI CSI for multi camera inputs added layers of hardware complexity, especially while maintaining strict automotive signal integrity and thermal efficiency.
Solution
Embien’s engineering team approached the project with a holistic hardware-software co-design strategy. We began by designing a custom carrier board for the R-Car M3e-2G SoC that maximized the chip's high-speed I/O capabilities.
Hardware Engineering & Connectivity
Our hardware team developed a robust PCB architecture that supported triple-video output: RGB for the instrument cluster, LVDS for the main infotainment screen, and HDMI for the HUD. To handle the vision requirements, we designed a multi-camera interface using MIPI-CSI with a custom Flex-PCB configuration, ensuring flexible placement within automotive mockups.
For connectivity, we integrated a high-throughput PCIe-based WiFi and Bluetooth module, along with isolated CAN transceivers to protect the SoC from vehicle-side electrical surges. Storage was optimized using a combination of high-speed eMMC for the OS and QSPI for fast-booting bootloaders.
Heterogeneous Software Architecture
The software solution was split across the SoC's multicore architecture to balance performance and safety:
Real-Time Domain (Cortex-R7): We implemented FreeRTOS to manage the "Vehicle Logic." This core handled the Digital Cluster display via RGB, ensuring that critical driving information is rendered with zero lag. It also managed the CAN bus communication and accelerometer data.
Application Domain (Cortex-A Cores): Embien successfully ported Android 14 to the R-Car M3e-2G. This involved deep-level kernel optimization and driver development for the LVDS interface. We developed and enabled the Android Vehicle HAL (VHAL), allowing the Android environment to communicate seamlessly with the real-time vehicle logic running on the Cortex-R core.
Performance Optimization
Driving three displays (Cluster, Android IVI, and HUD) simultaneously requires massive memory bandwidth and GPU coordination. Embien optimized the display pipeline and memory management units (MMU) to ensure that high-definition video playback on the infotainment system did not interfere with the real-time responsiveness of the cluster or the HUD. We also implemented a comprehensive audio subsystem with Speaker and Mic support, integrated via the Android audio framework. We ensured our E360 traceability platform was utilized throughout the SDLC to guarantee that every functional requirement was verified against the final hardware performance.
Benefits
Market-Ready Demonstration: Provided Renesas with a powerful tool to showcase the R-Car M3e-2G SoC’s multi-core and multi-display capabilities to top-tier automotive clients.
Cutting-Edge Software: Early adoption and stable implementation of Android 14, positioning the customer ahead of competitors in the infotainment space.
Reliable Real-Time Performance: Separation of vehicle logic on the Cortex-R7 core ensured safety-critical functions remained uninterrupted by the high-level OS.
Turnkey Integration: A complete hardware-software package, from high-speed PCB design to complex HAL development, reducing time-to-market.
Strict Quality Compliance: Adherence to robust SDLC processes via E360 traceability ensured zero missed requirements and high reliability.
Conclusion
Embien successfully delivered the R-Car M3e-2G ADK, providing Renesas with a sophisticated platform that seamlessly integrates Android 14, real-time vehicle control, and triple-display output. By overcoming the complexities of heterogeneous computing and high-speed hardware design, we demonstrated why Embien is a preferred partner for semiconductor giants. Whether you are looking to build a custom evaluation kit or a production-ready automotive cockpit, our expertise in SoC enablement and system integration is at your service.