Embedded flash memory devices for next-gen automotive applications

KIOXIA Europe has begun sampling new Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Ver. 4.1 embedded memory devices designed for automotive applications. Engineered to satisfy the rigorous demands of next-generation in-vehicle systems, these new devices provide significant performance, flexibility, and diagnostic enhancements - powered by the company's generation 8 BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and in-house designed controller technology.

Available in capacities of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB, the new UFS 4.1 devices are designed to fit the needs of infotainment, ADAS, telematics, domain controllers, and vehicle computers. They meet AEC-Q100/104 Grade 2 standards, supporting case temperature up to 115C.

Elevating the performance from the company's UFS 3.1 generation, the new UFS 4.1 (512GB) devices deliver:

• Approximately 2.1 times sequential read performance
• Approximately 2.5 times sequential write performance
• Approximately 2.1 times random read performance
• Approximately 3.7 times random write performance

These improvements provide a more responsive user experience in data-intensive automotive environments.

Key features include:

• Compliant with the UFS 4.1 Specification, which incorporates WriteBooster-related extensions such as WriteBooster Buffer Resizing and Pinned Partial Flush Mode, which provides better flexibility for optimal performance. UFS4.1 is backward compatible with UFS4.0 and UFS3.1.
• Enhanced Diagnostic Capabilities, including a newly added vendor-specific device health descriptor, simplifying device status monitoring and predictive maintenance
• Uses generation 8 BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory

UFS Ver. 4.1 devices integrate the company's innovative BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and a controller in a JEDEC-standard package. These new UFS devices are built with its generation 8 BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory. This generation introduces CBA (CMOS directly Bonded to Array) technology – an architectural innovation that marks a step-change in flash memory design. By directly bonding the CMOS circuitry to the memory array, CBA technology facilitates major gains in power efficiency, performance, and density.

"Specifically designed for automotive environments, the Automotive UFS Ver. 4.1 devices from KIOXIA offer the automotive-grade, higher performance and efficiency required for the implementation of advanced capabilities in infotainment, ADAS, domain controllers, and other vehicle computing applications," said Axel Störmann, vice president and chief technology officer for Memory and SSD products, KIOXIA Europe GmbH.