Today at Embedded World in Nuremberg, Germany, Santa Clara, CA-based chipmaker AMD announced the expansion of its Versal adaptive system on chip (SoC) portfolio with the new Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 and Versal Prime Series Gen 2 adaptive SoCs, which bring preprocessing, AI (artificial intelligence) inference, and postprocessing together in a single device for an end-to-end acceleration of AI-driven embedded systems.

These initial devices in the Versal Series Gen 2 portfolio build on the first generation with powerful new AI engines expected to deliver up to three times higher terra operations per second (TOPS)-per-watt than first-generation Versal AI Edge Series devices, while new high-performance integrated Arm CPUs are expected to offer up to ten times more scalar compute than first gen Versal AI Edge and Prime series devices.

“The demand for AI-enabled embedded applications is exploding and driving the need for single-chip solutions for the most efficient end-to-end acceleration within the power and area constraints of embedded systems,” said Salil Raje, Senior Vice President and General Manager, of Adaptive and Embedded Computing Group, at AMD. “These latest generation Versal devices bring together multiple compute engines on a single architecture offering high compute efficiency and performance—with scalability from the low-end to high-end.”

 

Powering Subaru’s next-gen EyeSight

Balancing performance, power, and area with advanced functional safety and security, Versal Series Gen 2 devices deliver new capabilities and features that enable the design of high-performance, edge-optimized products for the automotive, aerospace and defense, industrial, vision, healthcare, broadcast, and pro AV markets.

Subaru Corp. has selected Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 devices for the company’s next-generation ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) vision system. Known as EyeSight, the leading stereo-vision system is integrated into select car models to enable advanced safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and pre-collision braking. The new deal marks a continuation of the partnership between automaker and chipmaker as the former is using AMD adaptive SoC technology in current EyeSight-equipped vehicles.

“Versal AI Edge Gen 2 devices are designed to provide the AI inference performance, ultra-low latency, and functional safety capabilities required to put cutting-edge AI-based safety features in the hands of drivers,” said Satoshi Katahira, General Manager, Advanced Integration System Department & ADAS Development Department, Engineering Division, Subaru Corp.

 

Versal AI Edge and Prime Series Gen 2

AMD says its Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 devices incorporate an optimal mix of processors for the three phases of AI-driven embedded system acceleration—preprocessing, AI inference, and postprocessing—to meet the complex processing needs of real-world systems.

FPGA (field-programmable gate array) programmable logic fabric enables real-time preprocessing with flexibility to connect to a range of sensors and implement high-throughput, low-latency, data-processing pipelines. An array of vector processors is used in the form of next-gen AI engines for efficient AI inference. Arm CPU cores provide the postprocessing power needed for complex decision-making and control for safety-critical applications.

According to the company, this single-chip intelligence can eliminate the need to build multi-chip processing solutions, resulting in smaller, more efficient embedded AI systems with the potential for shorter time-to-market.

The Versal Prime Series Gen 2 provides end-to-end acceleration for traditional, non-AI-based embedded systems by combining programmable logic for sensor processing with high-performance embedded Arm CPUs. Designed to offer up to ten times more scalar compute compared to the first generation, these devices can efficiently handle sensor processing and complex scalar workloads.

With a new hard IP for high-throughput video processing, including up to 8K multi-channel workflows, Versal Prime Gen 2 devices are ideally suited for applications such as UHD (ultra-high-definition) video streaming and recording, industrial PCs, and flight computers.

The Versal Gen 2 portfolios provide scalability from edge sensors to centralized compute for AI-driven systems. They feature a range of devices with increasing amounts of AI and adaptive compute to allow customers to select the performance, power, and area footprints to efficiently achieve application performance and safety targets.

Designers can get started with Versal Gen 2 early access documentation and first-generation Versal evaluation kits and design tools today. AMD expects the availability of Versal Series Gen 2 silicon samples in the first half of 2025, followed by evaluation kits and system-on-modules samples in mid-2025, and production silicon in late 2025.

 

Adaptive technology for Sony lidar reference design

The new Versal SoC portfolio is just the latest announcement from AMD related to automotive. Last month, AMD announced that its cutting-edge adaptive computing technology was selected by Sony Semiconductor Solutions (SSS) for its newest automotive lidar reference design. The technology from AMD is said to significantly extend SSS lidar system capabilities, offering extraordinary accuracy, fast data processing, and high reliability for next-generation autonomous driving solutions.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of autonomous driving, the demand for precise and reliable sensor technology has never been greater. Lidar delivers image classification, segmentation, and object detection data that are essential for 3D vision perception enhanced by AI, which cannot be provided by cameras alone, especially in low-light or inclement weather, according to AMD.

“Lidar technology with its AI-enhanced perception capabilities is advancing at an incredible pace, enabling deployments for an ever-growing number of applications,” said Yousef Khalilollahi, Corporate Vice President & General Manager, AMD Adaptive Computing Group.

The collaboration with Sony Semiconductor Solutions integrating AMD adaptive computing technology exemplifies AMD’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology and driving innovation in critical industries like automotive, he added.

“This technical collaboration with AMD represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions for lidar applications,” said Takayoshi Ozone, General Manager, Automotive Development Department at Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp. “By incorporating AMD adaptive computing technology into our lidar reference design, we are poised to set new standards in performance, reliability, and adaptability.”

The lidar reference design with IMX459 sensor, powered by AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC adaptive SoCs and Artix-7 FPGAs, gives automakers and suppliers a perception platform to navigate complex driving scenarios and identify potential hazards with precision. It harnesses AMD expertise in developing scalable and adaptable computing solutions to optimize the processing capabilities of SSS’ SPAD ToF (time-of-flight) depth sensors.

This synergy results in high accuracy, fast data processing, and excellent reliability, addressing the evolving demands of the automotive industry. The combined efforts of SSS and AMD are poised to accelerate the adoption of LiDAR technology across various industries, unlocking new possibilities for autonomous systems.

 

AMD’s push into automotive

The Subarus and SSS announcements are the two most recent examples of AMD’s efforts to take a leadership position in advancing automotive technology. The chipmaker is focusing on interior infotainment (console, passenger displays, digital cluster); advancing safety in ADAS (automated parking, forward camera, LiDAR, surround view); and autonomous driving (commercial, robotaxi).

At CES 2024 in January, the company showed how it aimed to reshape automotive technology with advanced AI engines and elevated in-vehicle experiences. In Las Vegas, it showed new Versal AI Edge XA adaptive SoCs and Ryzen Embedded V2000A Series processors.

Showing its reach into automotive there, participating auto ecosystem partners included BlackBerry, Cognata, ECARX, Hesai, Luxoft, QNX, QT, Robosense, SEYOND, Tanway, Visteon, and XYLON.