The continuous evolution of ADAS in recent years has increased the number of onboard cameras. At the same time, the concept of functional safety is gaining importance, as the failure of a single camera can lead to a serious accident. This makes it essential for car and vehicle component manufacturers—including semiconductor suppliers—to comply with the international safety standard ISO 26262.

In 2018, ROHM successfully achieved ISO 26262 certification of its development process from the German certification body TÜV Rheinland, and in 2021 launched the 'ComfySIL™' brand to contribute to the safety, security, and comfort of users and systems through products that promote functional safety. As part of the ComfySIL™ series, these integrated circuits are products that "meet the FS (functional safety) process," the highest level, indicating compliance with the ISO 26262 standard.

Compliance with stringent functional safety requirements enables these latest products to facilitate safety design in next-generation vehicles equipped with ADAS. Furthermore, the four power supply systems (3 DC/DC + 1 LDO) required for automotive cameras are integrated into a 3.5 mm × 3.5 mm package, achieving the smallest size in the industry for comparable camera PMICs. They are equipped with a status notification mechanism for anomalies, such as abnormal voltage detection and feedback via I2C. This reduces the number of components by three compared to previous solutions, resulting in a 25% smaller mounting area compared to conventional solutions and contributing to smaller vehicle cameras. (This 25% reduction is just one example; further miniaturization is possible through optimization for individual applications.) At the same time, a wide range of sequence control and output voltage settings can be configured to meet the different requirements of CMOS image sensors from different manufacturers, which greatly simplifies development.

Product Range:
In addition to the four models (BD868A0MUF-C, BD868B0MUF-C, BD868C0MUF-C, BD868D0MUF-C) that comply with ISO 26262 and ASIL-B standards, the range will include the BD868C1MUF-C model for users who do not require ASIL compliance. Furthermore, ROHM can offer products based on customer configuration requirements, such as output voltages, voltage tolerances, sequencing, and functional safety requirements.

Availability: April 2022 (samples), August 2022 (OEM quantities).
There are also derivative models (BD868A0MUF-C, BD868B0MUF-C, BD868C1MUF-C) scheduled for successive release.

Application examples:
Rearview/perimeter cameras, driving recorders, driver monitoring systems, etc.

About the ComfySIL™ Brand:
ROHM launched the ComfySIL™ brand to enable customers involved in functional safety design to use SIL (Safety Integrity Level) compliant products in a "Comfy" way, and to enable social systems to achieve greater safety, security, and comfort, to which ROHM can contribute through its products.
ComfySIL™ is awarded to products that meet the ComfySIL™ concept for functional safety in the industrial equipment and automotive markets.