Collaboration for next-generation automotive BMS

NXP Semiconductors is jointly developing a software platform with Elektrobit to support NXP’s newly introduced high-voltage battery management system (HVBMS) reference design. Employing Elektrobit’s Classic AUTOSAR tooling and software, the new software platform eases the development of HVBMS architectures for EVs by abstracting the communication and controlling interactions between the BMS microcontroller and the battery cell controllers.

As demand for EVs increases, so does the demand for improved performance, faster charging time, increased range and battery life, and improved safety. These demands drive rapid technological advancements in EV battery designs, particularly for high voltages such as 400V or 800V. As these batteries become more powerful and complex, more sophisticated BMS architectures are required to provide,safety and reliability for EVs. The HVBMS RD is a scalable ASIL D architecture comprising of three modules: battery management unit (BMU), cell monitoring unit (CMU) and battery junction box (BJB). The company's wide portfolio of battery cell controllers, battery junction box devices, and devices for its electrical transport protocol link (ETPL), together with production grade software drivers for these silicon devices, makes it simpler for OEMs and Tier 1 customers to enter the growing market of HVBMS and allows them to focus effort on their unique application features.

“Our EB tresos AutoCore is the implementation of the Classic AUTOSAR standard and our tooling environment, called EB tresos Studio, is used to configure these basic software modules with NXP’s software modules,” said Michael Robertson, vice president, head of Strategy and Product Management, Elektrobit. “Elektrobit will additionally offer support to customers that use NXPs HVBMS platform when configuring and integrating EB tresos AutoCore into their environment and will continue working with NXP in the second development phase of the HVBMS reference design software.”

“NXP and Elektrobit have complementary competencies,” explained Dr Andreas Schlapka, director and segment manager Battery Management Systems, NXP. “NXP has extensive knowledge in BMS, with a scalable portfolio of analog and digital silicon devices to support the full variety of BMS architectures. Elektrobit, on the other hand, has in-depth knowledge of the software architectures that are used in the automotive domain and AUTOSAR expertise. Bringing these two competencies together is key, which is why NXP selected Elektrobit to join forces to co-develop the software platform for the HVBMS reference design.”