Designed to facilitate secure automotive communication between the vehicle’s gateway and its wireless technologies, the upgraded platform brings a 4x increase in CPU performance compared to the previous generation and incorporates several new innovations.
These include embedded AI acceleration, post-quantum cryptography support, an ASIL B safety island, and software-defined networking to help secure the vehicle against the cyberattacks of today and tomorrow and support the transition to software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
The release comes as cars become increasingly connected and software-defined and face a rapidly evolving cyber-threat landscape.
The highly integrated OrangeBox 2.0 connectivity domain controller is designed to deliver the flexibility needed to protect against these threats. The integrated high performance i.MX 94 applications processor features post-quantum cryptography acceleration, as well as new AI, safety and security capabilities - this enables active cybersecurity that uses machine learning to counter rapidly evolving threats.
The platform also features an integrated 2.5 Gbps Ethernet switch with support for software-defined networking, delivering the flexibility needed for SDVs.
“The original OrangeBox platform consolidated the wireless connectivity of the vehicle, reducing the cyber-attack surfaces,” said Dan Loop, Vice President and General Manager, Automotive Edge Processing, NXP. “OrangeBox 2.0 enables AI to take things a step further, protecting cars by detecting anomalous communication patterns which could be a sign of previously unknown cyberthreats. The AI capabilities and advanced safety and connectivity delivered by the i.MX 94 applications processor will not only support new cybersecurity protections, but also enable new features for fleet management, predictive maintenance, and more.”
The OrangeBox 2.0 development platform leverages an i.MX 94 applications processor with an integrated eIQ Neutron neural processing unit (NPU) to accelerate advanced AI-assisted firewall technology.
The i.MX 94 SoC is NXP’s first i.MX applications processor to integrate a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet switch, enabling software-defined networking and supporting the transition to SDVs. The i.MX 94 is also NXP’s first applications processor to support post-quantum public key cryptography, allowing it to withstand attacks by quantum computers.
The integrated EdgeLock Secure Enclave (Advanced Profile) and EdgeLock Accelerator (Prime) provide advanced, future-proof security capabilities and high performance, enabling a post-quantum hardware root-of-trust, fast secure boot, secure debug and secure update; real-time, high-speed message signing, authentication and encryption for secure communications; and more.
The OrangeBox 2.0 connectivity domain controller also integrates a wide variety of NXP wireless technologies.
In addition to the capabilities of the first generation of the OrangeBox platform, the new platform includes the SAF9100, which delivers software-defined audio capabilities. Concurrent dual band Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 is provided by the AW693 solution, designed to enable secure over-the-air software updates.
OrangeBox 2.0 also supports smart car access solutions based on NXP’s latest Bluetooth Low Energy and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, as well as an automotive secure element.
The OrangeBox 2.0 is expected to be available in 2H 2025.
