Renesas latest device to fast-track Software-defined vehicle innovation
Renesas Electronics Corporation, a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, has expanded its software-defined vehicle (SDV) solution offerings, centred on the fifth-generation (Gen 5) R-Car family, with the latest device being the R-Car X5H
The newest device in the Gen 5 family, the R-Car X5H, is the industry’s first multi-domain automotive system-on-chip (SoC) manufactured with advanced 3nm process technology. It can simultaneously run vehicle functions across advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), and gateway systems.
As part of the next phase of development, Renesas now offers full evaluation boards and the R-Car Open Access (RoX) Whitebox software Development Kit (SDK), and has begun sampling Gen 5 silicon.
Renesas is set to showcase AI-powered multi-domain demonstrations of the R-Car X5H at CES 2026.
The R-Car X5H utilises an advanced process node to offer high levels of integration, performance, power, and efficiency, with up to 35% lower power consumption than previous 5nm solutions.
As AI becomes integral to next-generation SDVs, the SoC provides robust central compute targeting multiple automotive domains and can scale AI performance through chiplet extensions. It can deliver up to 400 TOPS of AI performance, with chiplets increasing acceleration by up to four times. It also features four TFLOPS, equivalent to GPU power for high-end graphics, and over 1,000k DMIPS, powered by 32 Arm Cortex-A720AE CPU cores and six Cortex-R52 lockstep cores with ASIL D support.
As hardware and software become more integrated early in development to support complex E/E architectures, Renesas is adding new capabilities to the RoX development platform. RoX streamlines development by combining the essential hardware, operating systems, software, and tools needed to build next-generation vehicles, enabling software updates.
Renesas now offers the RoX Whitebox SDK for the R-Car XRH, an open platform built on Linux, Android, and XEN hypervisor, to accelerate time-to-market. Additional support for partner OS and solutions is available, including AutoStar, EB coros Linus, QNX, Red Hat, and SafeRTOS. Developers are able to jumpstart out of the box, utilising the SDK to build ADAS, L3/L4 autonomy, intelligent cockpit, and gateway systems.
An integrated stack of AI and ADAS software allows real-time perception and sensor fusion. At the same time, generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) facilitate intelligent human-machine interaction for next-generation AI cockpits.
Vivek Bhan, senior vice president and general manager of High Performance Computing at Renesas, said, “Since introducing our most advanced R-Car device last year, we have been steadfast in developing market-ready solutions, including delivering silicon samples to customers earlier this year. In collaboration with OEMs, Tier-1s, and partners, we are rapidly rolling out a complete development system that powers the next generation of software-defined vehicles. These intelligent compute platforms deliver a smarter, safer, and more connected driving experience and are built to scale with future AI mobility demands.”