- Controlling the entire system with STM32 microcontrollers ∙∙∙ Technology unveiled at Australian auto racing competition

December 7, 2011, Seoul – STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor company in various electronic device applications, announced that its advanced 32-bit microcontroller products were used to control the electrical and electronic systems of Stanford University's latest solar car. This high-tech vehicle made a successful debut at the World Solar Challenge, a global solar car race held across Australia from October 16 to 21.

This solar car, named Xenith, was designed and built by Stanford University students and participated in a 3,000 km race from Darwin to Adelaide alongside about 40 other cars. The car's electrical system uses STMicroelectronics' STM32 32-bit microcontroller technology to control all subsystems, ranging from solar conversion and driving control operations to helmet-mounted display control and vehicle acceleration.

The success of solar cars depends on the ability to maximize the amount of electricity that can be collected during daylight hours and to use power resources and consumption efficiently in a balanced manner. Four STM32 microcontrollers track the maximum power point to optimize the output of the Zenith car's solar array, and another STM32 device performs key tasks such as monitoring voltage, measuring temperature and current, and controlling power flow throughout the car.

Another STM32 microcontroller manages communication between the driver, car, motor controller, and rear-wheel steering system, and controls auxiliary systems such as lighting, telemetry, and tire pressure monitoring.

Gregory Hall, who leads Stanford University’s solar car project, said, “Many complex systems within a solar car must be able to operate and interact normally without failure, and energy consumption must also be minimized. ST’s powerful, flexible, and reliable control devices provide excellent peripherals and high-quality libraries, making them suitable for our project, which requires high performance and has a tight development schedule.”

Michel Buffa, General Manager of ST’s Microcontroller Business Unit, said, “The application of STM32-based subsystems to Stanford University’s solar car reaffirms ST’s firm position in the field of embedded applications. We are pleased to participate in the Stanford solar car project as a notable program that combines innovative research with cutting-edge alternative transportation technology.”

ST’s STM32 is the industry’s most extensive family of ARM Cortex M-based microcontrollers, offering over 250 devices with a comprehensive range of peripherals and various memory configurations. These devices feature excellent power consumption and functionality. In addition, ST provides the industry’s best development ecosystem alongside these products. With a 45% market share, STM32 microcontrollers are suitable for any application requiring real-time control or connectivity, ranging from consumer electronics, instrumentation, home audio, medical, and industrial networking.

Stanford University’s Solar Car Project is a student-organized, non-profit initiative designed to provide students with practical experience in engineering, project management, and business, while raising awareness of clean energy vehicles. The project team works on design and implementation over a two-year period and is funded by donations. More information can be found at http://solarcar.stanford.edu .