ST25R3914, AEC-Q100 Grade 1 certification
STM8AF, EEPROM-CAN-LIN bus support

STMicroelectronics announced on the 29th that its automotive NFC reader IC (ST25R3914) and automotive 8-bit microcontroller (STM8AF) have been adopted in ROHM's Qi-compatible automotive wireless charging reference design.
NFC-based contactless communication is already widely used for functions such as mobile payments on smartphones, and recently, its scope of application is rapidly expanding from mobile devices to industrial equipment, IoT devices, and automotive systems.

ROHM’s automotive wireless charging module reference design, which adopts ST’s NFC reader IC and 8-bit MCU, is based on the BD57121MUF-M, a Qi standard 15W wireless charging IC developed by ROHM to enable more wireless charging functions in the car’s center console box.

ST technology offers the benefits of sophisticated control capabilities that allow charging to be stopped immediately by detecting a contactless smart card near the charging system. This technology supports a function that prevents card defects caused by the strong magnetic field generated by the Qi transmitter.

ST's automotive NFC reader IC, the ST25R3914, is an AEC-Q100 Grade 1 certified analog front-end device that supports ISO14443A/B, ISO15693, FeliCa, and Active P2P. It is ideal for automotive applications, featuring best-in-class RF performance and unrivaled Automatic Antenna Tuning that dynamically adapts to demanding metallic environments. The device comes with MISRA-C:2012 compliant RF middleware, which helps reduce software development time.

ST’s STM8AF, an 8-bit automotive MCU, offers high performance along with various memory size and package options, making it flexible for application in automotive systems. This MCU supports full data EEPROM, CAN and LIN buses, and high operating temperatures up to 150°C. When combined with NFC functionality, it can also be used as a controller to manage new types of automotive NFC applications, such as infotainment and engine starting using Bluetooth/Wi-Fi pairing for smartphones and NFC verification.
“By ROHM adopting ST’s NFC products and 8-bit microcontrollers for its Qi standard automotive wireless charging reference design, it has been proven that ST’s extensive product lineup holds great potential for developing new and valuable automotive features,” said Hiroshi Noguchi, Country Manager of ST Japan. “We expect many automotive manufacturers to consider wireless charging as an important value-added feature, and through this, ST will continue to contribute to providing consumers with a more comfortable driving experience in another way.”

Meanwhile, ST and ROHM showcased a demo of a Qi standard automotive wireless charging reference design at Automotive World 2019, held in Tokyo, Japan from the 16th to the 18th.