NXP Semiconductors today announced the SAF9xxx family of products that provide AI audio capabilities to vehicle infotainment and significantly enhance vehicle audio processing technology.

The new audio digital signal processing (DSP) solution is designed to support the growing demands of AI-driven audio in software-defined vehicles (SDVs). Leveraging Cadence’s latest high-performance Tensilica HiFi 5 DSP combined with a dedicated neural network engine, the SAF9xxx is designed to efficiently implement next-generation high-quality, self-learning audio and speech applications.

The SAF9xxx family offers software-defined radio options with up to five integrated tuners, supporting all major global broadcast radio use cases: DAB, HD-Radio, DRM, CDR, and AM/FM. It is a single-chip device with scalability and supports audio and radio applications.

Audio performance is a key differentiator in vehicle infotainment, providing OEMs with new ways to make their mid-range and high-end vehicles stand out.

For example, it can be used to identify and distinguish drivers and passengers by identifying voice pitch and intonation. It can also detect sirens of emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances using machine learning algorithms to provide drivers with audiovisual information about the location and movement of those vehicles.

The SAF9xxx family is optimized for low-latency audio applications, providing real-time active cancellation of engine, road, wind and tire noise. Gigahertz-DSP performance is enhanced by a comprehensive set of analog and digital I/Os and large fast-access onboard memory to support demanding audio functions.

Gigabit Ethernet provides high-speed, direct connectivity to vehicle networks. A large audio IP partner ecosystem is ready to drive new audio developments on SAF9xxx with a wide range of audio software and algorithms.

“NXP SAF9xxx DSPs are designed with AI/ML processing capabilities in mind for complete infotainment solutions, delivering enhanced features, performance and specifications to support the demanding audio and radio requirements of current and future SDVs,” said John van den Braak, senior vice president and general manager, Audio Systems. “Their scalable architecture also makes it simpler and more cost-effective for OEMs to deploy them in vehicle designs.”