Microchip Launches First PIC18 MCU for CAN FD
Equipped with CIP that handles various tasks without CPU intervention
Reduce costs, etc., incurred when connecting systems to CAN FD


Microchip announced on the 23rd the launch of the 'PIC18-Q84' MCU family, which responds to the demand for flexible data transmission speeds in automotive and industrial applications with increasing bandwidth utilization.

The PIC18-Q84 family is the first PIC18 MCU capable of transmitting and receiving data over the CAN FD bus. Featuring Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that handle various tasks without CPU intervention, it reduces the cost and time associated with connecting systems to CAN FD networks.

The product family provides a simplified solution that enables sensor data to be transmitted to the CAN FD bus without the need for gateways or sophisticated network switching techniques. Additionally, the configurable CIPs allow for virtually zero latency, making it easy to build custom hardware-based functions for automotive and industrial designs without requiring additional code.

Available peripherals include 32-bit cyclic redundancy check scan (CRC/SCAN) and windowed watchdog timer (WWDT) for functional safety, and a JTAG interface implementing industry-standard test and debug.

Microchip provides hardware and software for the PIC18-Q84 family. Hardware includes the Curiosity Nano Development Board and the Curiosity High Pin Count (HPC) Development Board. Plug-in modules (PIMs) can be used with automotive networking development boards and Microchip development boards. Software includes Microchip's MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC).

The PIC18-Q84 family is now available in volume production, with unit pricing starting at $0.78 for 10,000-unit quantities.