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NXP Accelerates Software
Creation on S32K Automotive
Microcontrollers

Software in the Driver’s Seat
The prominence of software in the automotive market has never been
NXP® Semiconductors is a providerof 32-bit automotive microcontrollers
that offer high levels of integration,
comprehensive software, andhardware enablement across a
broad range of performance points.
www.NXP.com

greater, driven in part by consumer expectations for an enhanced invehicle experience, which has led to car makers increasing their focus onthe software. With the continued growth in both the size and complexityof software, the cost of its creation and maintenance is also rising andextending the time to market. The automotive industry needs solutions
for improving software development for successful deployment in thesoftware-defined vehicles (SDV) of the future.
This growth in software is not limited to complex high-performancesystem-on-chips (SoCs), but must also be developed and deployed in
microcontrollers (MCUs). As a result, NXP has stepped up its software

Seamless software deployment
Accelerated time-to-market withcost savings through advanced
modelling
Ability to test complex code
configurations
Code re-use across different
products
Maximized performance on 		
automotive microcontrollers

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focus, offering software solutions targeting its Arm-based MCUs and SoCs
to help these product users accelerate the design and development cycle.

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Brushless direct current motor basedon NXP S32K3 Cortex-M MCUs

The use of motors across the vehicle continues to rise and is an example
of where it is highly beneficial to simplify the development of control
algorithms.
Embedded software engineers rely on in-house motor experts or motor
vendors for information on motor properties and characteristics to develop
the motor control algorithms. The involvement of diverse groups ofengineers may lead to some loss of information, as engineers in different
domains have preferences toward specific design environments.

“NXP’s toolbox of motor control libraries and modeling tools are supporting
the seamless development and deployment of motor-control software across
our Arm-based microcontrollers. These allow engineers to test complex code
configurations for their automotive solutions before the final hardware design,saving them time and costs, and helping to maximize performance.”
Marius-Lucian Andrei, Senior Software Engineer at NXP Automotive Processing

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In addition to the software integration challenges of application codeand device drivers, which is hardware specific, the over reliance on
hardware-based testing leads to long iteration cycles for fixing bugs.
NXP offers Model-Based Design Toolbox (MBDT), a collection of tools
and libraries, designed to assist customers with prototyping andF IG.

accelerating the algorithm development on NXP MCUs. Engineers can2Model-Based Design Toolbox (MBDT)
to ease motor control softwaredevelopment on NXP S32K3 Cortex-M
MCUs

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model complex algorithms in MATLAB® and Simulink®, and generate
embedded code compatible with Arm® based MCUs, including NXP’s
S32K microcontrollers family.

3By using MBDT, engineers can take advantage of its integrated tools, suchas the S32 Configuration Tools for pins, clocks, and peripherals, while theapplication code is automatically generated, compiled, and deployed on
the S32K targets. Once the code is executed on the target, the NXP’s
FreeMASTER can be used to connect to the running target for tuningor parameter visualization. MBDT also works in conjunction with some
additional MathWorks Toolboxes, such as Simscape® for emulating electricmotors through Stateflow resulting in easier implementation of finite statemachines and application logic - or the Deep Learning Toolbox for running
AI algorithms on NXP microcontrollers, and many other products.
MBDT for S32K3xx is fully integrated into MATLAB® and the Simulink®
environment, and can be installed directly from the MATLAB Add-Ons or
NXP.com. MBDT provides numerous examples alongside documentation
for all the blocks it provides, and integrates the following NXP Software
products:— Toolchain support through a compiler and code deployment mechanism.
— S32 Configuration Tools, which are used for setting the pins, clocks,

and peripherals.
— Real Time Drivers (RTD), on top of which the generated code controls

the target peripherals.
— The Automotive Math and Motor Control Library (AMMCLib) for

high-performance arithmetic, trigonometric, digital signal processing,and math functions.
— FreeMASTER, which is a real-time debug monitor and data-visualization

tool for runtime configuration and tuning.

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Support for the MCSPTE1AK344Development Kit
The MCSPTE1AK344 is a development kit engineered for threephase brushless direct current (BLDC) motors and permanent magnet
synchronous motors (PMSMs).

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MCSPTE1AK344 Development Kit

Based on the 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-M7 S32K3 microcontroller and theGD3000 pre-driver, the MCSPTE1AK344 enables rapid prototyping
and evaluation of BLDC and PMSM control applications. Besides theArm® Cortex®–M7 core, the S32K344 microcontroller delivered withthe MCSPTE1AK344 provides suitable peripherals for motor-control
applications.
MCSPTE1AK344 enables a complete out-of-the-box experience formodeling motor control algorithms through the rapid prototyping andevaluation of BLDC and three-phased PMSM applications. This means
engineers do not have to wait for the final hardware design, saving themtime and costs.

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Useful Links— Arm Microcontrollers for Automotive -https://www.arm.com/campaigns/automotive-microcontroller— NXP S32K3 Motor Control Kit – nxp.com/MCSPTE1AK344— NXP Model-Based Design Toolbox (MBDT)— NXP Model-Based Design Toolbox Community Space© A R M L T D . 2 0 2 3 All brand names or product names are the property of their respective holders. Neither the whole nor any part of the information contained in, or theproduct described in, this document may be adapted or reproduced in any material form except with the prior written permission of the copyright holder. The product described inthis document is subject to continuous developments and improvements. All particulars of the product and its use contained in this document are given in good faith. All warranties
implied or expressed, including but not limited to implied warranties of satisfactory quality or fitness for purpose are excluded. This document is intended only to provide information
to the reader about the product. To the extent permitted by local laws Arm shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of any information in this document or anyerror or omission in such information.

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