NXP uses EU’s IPCEI ME/CT financing to expand research and development in Romania

NXP Semiconductors Romania announced it is strengthening its European research and development (R&D) plans through subsidies provided for the “SENTHICOM” project via the 2nd Important Project of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI  ME/CT). The subsidies are expected in double-digit million Euro range. Dedicated NXP teams across Bucharest and Sibiu will focus on hardware-software co-design and embedded software development for highly automated driving and communication technologies, complementing IPCEI ME/CT activities underway at NXP in Germany and the Netherlands via the 2nd IPCEI  ME/CT. The development efforts kicked off in April 2023 and shall conclude by end of 2028.

With its extensive research and development of cutting-edge software in Romania, NXP is contributing significantly to Europe’s technology resilience and digital and green transition efforts. Supported by close collaborations with leading Romanian academia and technology companies such as Bosch Romania and Continental Romania, NXP is able to leverage a broad set of expertise to design, develop and deliver cutting-edge technology and products anchored in Europe. NXP also engages with top Romanian universities and experts on more than 30 research topics. NXP’s R&D efforts in Romania support Romania’s national goal to create an ecosystem for the development of MicroElectronics and Communication Technology in Romania by strengthening competencies in seven cities across the country.

NXP Romania’s R&D efforts span across several IPCEI workstreams. Within the workstream “Think”, NXP focuses on hardware-software co-design and embedded software development for high-performance automotive grade microprocessors and advancing car architecture development for software-defined vehicles. That includes the hardware-software co-design of a next generation super-integration processor as well as the development of an automotive grade software development kit with firmware, run-time software and development tools with demo applications.

As part of the “Sense” workstream, NXP Romania and its indirect participants concentrate on the hardware-software co-design of the next generation of radar automotive systems. The main work packages include hardware-software co-design of next generation advanced radar solutions, encompassing the radar transceiver, radar signal processing chain, advanced radar processing and AI algorithms, radar platform enablement software and demo applications.

“We thank the European Commission, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects (MIPE), the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (MEAT) and the Romanian Academy working group for their significant efforts to support the Romanian and European microelectronics industry through IPCEI ME/CT. The development of cutting-edge technologies is linked to the creation of a regional infrastructure and long-term expertise in the fields of the future,” said Simona Almajan, Country Manager NXP Romania. “It is a priority for us to strengthen the local ecosystem in Romania, which is why we work closely with local partners in industry and academia by sharing development results and collaboratively researching new technological trends. Our commitment is underlined by the recent opening of the second R&D center in Sibiu, and NXP is working to expand our growing teams in Bucharest and Sibiu.”