AMI Semiconductor has selected the ARM architecture for a new range of programmable automotive electronics solutions, the companies announced today.

AMIS has licensed two ARM7 family processors, the ARM7TDMI and ARM7TDMI-S, to develop industry-specific solutions that will help improve driver information, in-car entertainment, body electronics and passenger safety, AMIS claimed.

The first ARM technology-based automotive solutions from AMIS are expected to be available in 2006.

"The ARM architecture overall provides the flexibility we need to create new solutions, and improve on existing ones, for a constantly changing market," said Tony Denayer, senior VP of AMIS product development, in a statement. "The ARM7 family cores suit multiple technologies and can be adapted to specific application requirements, such as low power consumption, low radiation or emission, or they can be optimized for specific high-speed capabilities."

AMIS said it will incorporate the ARM technology into user specific integrated circuits, ASICs and application specific standard products to create flexible SOCs solutions with mixed-signal and high-voltage functionality.

The ARM7TDMI-S core will be used in AMIS' 0.3-microm, 0.25-microm or 0.18-microm I3T mixed-signal high-voltage solutions, and potentially in FPGA to ASIC conversion solution, XPressArray.