CAMBRIDGE, UK — austriamicrosystems launched the AS8221 integrated transceiver, certified to the latest FlexRay V2.1 Rev B standard to act as the interface between digital logic and copper cable transmission in automotive networks.

FlexRay is capable of transmission rates of up to 10 Mbps, 20 times the speed of unshielded twisted copper cables used in cars today. The FlexRay standard, therefore, demands that each transceiver device fulfills particular requirements, as communication on the combined network must not only be fast, but also extremely reliable.

TheAS8221 standard transceiver provides all of the functions to enable its integration in electronic control units powered with permanent battery voltage. While the microchip is only fed by the car battery, it provides wake-up functionality via the network and is therefore responsible for controlling the local voltage supply.

Another safety feature of the AS8221 is its interface to optionally monitor circuits which can, in safety-critical applications, uncouple the control unit from the communication network in case of a fault, thus ensuring communication across the remaining network.

The chip is suitable for automotive applications with temperatures ranging from -40 to +125°C and is available in a RoHS compliant SSOP20 package.

Download datasheets here