A microcontroller runs AI in the vehicle, supports real time tasks, combines functions in one unit, and reduces hardware and wiring.
Software-defined vehicles need more computing power at the edge. STMicroelectronics has introduced Stellar P3E, its first automotive microcontroller with built-in AI acceleration. The device is designed to handle real-time AI tasks inside vehicles while helping car makers combine multiple functions into a single electronic control unit.
At the core of the Stellar P3E is the ST Neural-ART Accelerator™, an embedded neural network accelerator built directly into the MCU. It uses a data-flow architecture made for AI processing. This allows the controller to run inference in microseconds and deliver up to 30 times higher efficiency compared to standard MCU cores. The result is always-on, low-power AI that can support smart sensing and virtual sensors without adding extra hardware.
This built-in AI capability enables features such as predictive maintenance and real-time sensing. In electric vehicles, it can help improve charging efficiency and speed. It also allows manufacturers to introduce new features either during production or after the vehicle is deployed. By running AI models inside the MCU, car makers can reduce the need for extra sensors, control modules, wiring, and complex system integration.
The Stellar P3E is also built for X-in-1 electronic control units. Instead of using separate controllers for different functions, manufacturers can combine them into one system. This helps reduce cost, weight, and design complexity.
To support future software growth, the MCU includes integrated xMemory, a non-volatile memory based on phase-change memory. It provides twice the density of standard embedded flash and is qualified for automotive use. This allows more software to be stored and updated without changing hardware.
Some of the key features of the Stellar P3E include:
- 500 MHz Arm Cortex-R52+ cores with very high performance (over 8,000 CoreMark).
- Split-lock design to balance safety and speed.
- Open Arm platform with strong developer support.
- Many I/O and analog features for tasks like motor control.
For development, the device works with the ST Edge AI Suite and Stellar Studio. These tools support the full edge-AI workflow, from dataset creation to deployment on the vehicle hardware.