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Samsung is announcing that it has begun mass production of a 256GB embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS) device that contains the advanced features for automotive specifications that meet the JEDEC UFS 3.0 standard, which is a first for the industry. Samsung introduced the breakthrough 128GB eUFS back in September of 2017, which was also an industry first. The new 256GB eUFS is already being shipped to automotive makers for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the next generation of infotainment systems, as well as the new-age instrument panels becoming increasingly common in luxury vehicles.
Automotive memory must be able to withstand some extreme temperature variations, and Samsung’s 256GB eUFS offers an extended operating range of between -40°C to 105°C, in both operational and power-saving modes. Compare this to conventional embedded multimedia card (eMMC) 5.1 versions, which typically offer an operational range of -25°C to 85°C, and -40°C to 85°C only in power saving or idle mode.
According to Kyoung Hwan Han, Samsung’s vice president of NAND marketing, “With the new temperature threshold for automobile warranties, major automotive manufacturers can now design-in memory that’s even well suited for extreme environments and know they will be getting highly reliable performance. Starting with high-end vehicles, we expect to expand our business portfolio across the entire automotive market, while accelerating growth in the premium memory segment.”
Along with meeting the new temperature specification, Samsung has also developed temperature notification for the 256GB eUFS. A sensor notifies the host application processor (AP) when the device temperature exceeds 105°C (or any preset temperature), allowing the AP to regulate clock speed to lower the device’s temperature. Also, a data refresh feature speeds up processing by relocating stale data to other less-used cells, enabling greater system reliability.
Samsung’s new 256GB eUFS can attain data transfer speeds of up to 850MB/s, as well as random read speeds of up to 45,000 IOPS. Although Samsung is listing the new 256GB eUFS as meeting standard 2.1, the expanded operating temperature range, the temperature notification and data refresh features are aspects of eUFS standard 3.0, which was only released a month ago. Samsung is focusing on its technology partnerships with component providers and global auto makers, and will continue to expand its eUFS product lineup and further cementing its leadership position in the premium memory markets.