Kioxia: Up to 512GB Automotive UFS With BiCS Flash 3D Memory

More advanced infotainment and ADAS ⁽¹⁾ systems. More storage for event data recording. Support for more 3D mapping. In a move that makes ‘more’ a reality, Kioxia America, Inc. (formerly Toshiba Memory America, Inc., U.S.-based subsidiary of Kioxia Corp.) announced that it has begun sampling an industry first ⁽²⁾ 512GB automotive Universal Flash Storage ⁽³⁾ (UFS) JEDEC version 2.1 embedded memory solution.

The automotive UFS supports temperatures from -40°C to +105°C, meets AEC-Q100 Grade2 ⁽⁴⁾ requirements and offers the reliability required by various automotive applications. The 512GB device joins the company’s existing lineup of automotive UFS, which includes capacities of 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256GB.

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Innovations such as autonomous vehicles, advanced infotainment systems, digital clusters, telematics, and ADAS provide an elevated driver experience and also a greater demand for storage within vehicles.

To meet this demand for large-capacity memory, the 512GB automotive UFS memory was developed, which integrates the company’s BiCS flash 3D flash memory and a controller in a single package. 512GB automotive UFS features several functions well-suited to the requirements of automotive applications including refresh, thermal control and extended diagnosis. The refresh function can be used to refresh data stored in UFS and helps extend the data’s lifespan. The thermal control function protects the device from overheating in the high-temperature circumstances that can occur in automotive applications. Lastly, the extended diagnosis function helps the host processor easily understand the device’s status.

“UFS is the best memory solution available that combines the high performance, power efficiency, and small package size that mobile devices and related applications demand,” noted Scott Beekman, director, managed flash memory products, Kioxia America, Inc. “UFS performance will continue to advance, widening the already significant performance advantage it has over e-MMC ⁽⁵⁾. The introduction of a 512GB UFS device for automotive is yet another milestone for Kioxia. We have led the way in UFS since 2013, when we were the first to sample the technology, and will continue to pave the road forward for the automotive applications of the future.“

⁽¹⁾ Advanced Driving Assistant System
⁽²⁾ Source: Kioxia Corporation, as of November 12, 2019.
⁽³⁾ Universal Flash Storage (UFS) is a product category for a class of embedded memory products built to the JEDEC UFS standard spec. JEDEC is a registered trademark of JEDEC Solid State Technology Association.
⁽⁴⁾ Electrical component qualification requirements defined by the AEC (Automotive Electronics Council).
⁽⁵⁾ e-MMC is a product category for a class of embedded memory products built to the JEDEC e-MMC standard spec and is a trademark of JEDEC .