Intel Adaptive Control Unit Provides Gains in EV Range and CostIntel Adaptive Control Unit Provides Gains in EV Range and Cost

Chipmaking giant Intel announced a breakthrough new processor and software system at CES that promises to let automakers trim costs and extend electric vehicle driving range. And Stellantis is applying this new tech in a bid to gain an advantage for its DS Automotive and Maserati brands in the hyper-competitive Formula E EV racing series.

The new hardware is Intel’s Adaptive Control Unit U310, which Intel says can slice between $30 and $70 off the Bill of Materials (BoM) for EVs. The company calls this “a new kind of processing unit” that supports the consolidation of multiple real-time, safety-critical and cyber-secure functions, applications, and domains into a single chip.

While traditional time- and sequential-processing-based micro and zonal controllers struggle to handle multiple workloads due to limited deterministic processing capabilities, the ACU U310 features a flexible logic area that offloads real-time control algorithms from the CPU cores. Intel says that this provides reliable performance with freedom from interference (FFI) and deterministic data delivery, even when consolidating multiple microcontroller workloads into a single zonal MCU.

“This is a microcontroller for the software-defined age,” said Jack Weast, Intel Fellow and vice president, and general manager of Intel Automotive in the company’s CES press conference. “The Adaptive Control Unit is able to put 95 percent of that real-time control logic into the hardware, into a flexible logic unit which is a programmable portion of the chip that’s specifically designed for real-time control algorithms.”

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Putting that into hardware means that when a signal comes in, it's processed immediately and deterministically, Weast explained. “You can process hundreds of these events simultaneously, with the same determinism guarantees on each and every event.”

Jack Weast, Intel Fellow and vice president, and general manager of Intel Automotive, speaks at CES. INTEL AUTOMOTIVE

This capability makes the processor suitable for running a better, more sophisticated electric motor control algorithm, which is the source of the efficiency gains. “The core issue is the algorithmic approaches that are being used in the industry today,” said Weast, pointing out space-vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM). “This modulation technique could have never imagined the size and voltages of batteries and e-motors we have in vehicles today.”

No Need for Silicon Carbide

Many automakers are switching to silicon carbide chips in their EV power inverters in pursuit of greater efficiency. But Weast says that a smarter algorithm can do the same thing on traditional silicon if the processor is fast enough to run it. “There are better approaches,” he said. “Things like optimized pulse pattern. Which is a modulation technique that’s not time-based but is actually based on the angular rotation of the motor as it's spinning. So, ensuring much more accurate delivery of energy as the motor operates.”

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The reason this algorithm hasn’t been applied already is that previous processors couldn’t do the work fast enough. “Traditional automotive microcontrollers and DSPs simply do not have enough horsepower to run these algorithms,” he said. Enter the Adaptive Control Unit U310.

In an EV’s circuits routing power from the battery pack to the motor, the ACU improves efficiency by as much as 5 percent at each step of the process. The resulting reduction in waste heat lets carmakers reduce the size, weight, and cost of their cooling system.

In addition to the resulting cost savings from the cooling system, Intel also points to the potential to save money by shrinking the motor by 25 percent, which is possible because the motor operates more efficiently using this algorithm. Also, there is the possibility to reduce the battery’s voltage by 20 percent and to still get the same range for further savings.

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The DS Automotive Formula E car racing in Mexico. DS AUTOMOTIVE

Racing to Win

Intel is proving this technology on the track with the help of the DS Automotive and Maserati Formula E racing teams, whose racers will use Intel-equipped drivetrains from Emotors. While the goals for production EVs include reduced cost and extended driving range, thoroughbred race cars can also benefit from the Intel technology.

“Our challenge is to continuously improve performance and fight for the top spot of the podium,” noted Leo Thomas, Formula E program director for the Stellantis Formula E teams for DS Automotive and Maserati. “Intel Automotive has a huge expertise in high-performance semiconductor solutions, so I’m very confident that we are going to have one of the best next-generation inverter controls,” he said.

The Emotors M3 EV motor. EMOTORS

The improved efficiency is especially beneficial for the recovery of energy to recharge the battery pack under deceleration, Thomas pointed out. Because Formula E cars have strict specifications, so teams have to maximize advantages in areas where they have freedom, such as motors and inverters.

“It is a critical component of the GEN3 Evo single-seaters of DS Automobiles and Maserati,” Thomas said. “In charge of controlling the electric motor using energy from the battery, but also of recovering energy during braking phases, the inverter plays a crucial role where any gain in efficiency is transformed into a competitive advantage in a race. This new inverter controller leverages Intel’s advanced semiconductor technology and software expertise to optimize power delivery and enhance overall vehicle performance.”