Mercedes-Benz hosts open-source hardware Automotive Rapid DEvelopment Platform (ARDEP)

ARDEP (Automotive Rapid DEvelopment Platform) is an open-source hardware and software platform hosted on Mercedes-Benz’s GitHub account and released under an Apache 2.0 license.

The ARDEP V2 main board is based on an STMicroelectronics STM32G474VE Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller for motor control with CORDIC and FMAC hardware math accelerators, and features CAN-FD and LIN transceivers, while the PowerIO Shield features 6 outputs and 6 inputs supporting up to 48V and 3A per channel.

ARDEP V2 specifications:

• MCU – STMicroelectronics STM32G474VE
  • Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU at up to 170 MHz
  • Math accelerators  – CORDIC for trigonometric functions and Filter Mathematical ACcelerator (FMAC)
  • Memory – 128 KB SRAM
  • Storage – 256 KB single-bank flash
• USB
  • 1x USB Type-C “ARDEP” port
  • 1x USB Type-C “Debugger” port
• Transceivers
  • 2x CAN-FD capable transceivers, each with a common mode choke, ESD protection, and hardware-configurable 120 Ohm termination
  • 1x LIN transceiver, software-selectable master or slave mode
• I/Os
  • DB-9 connector following the “Vector pinout” commonly used by Vector Informatik tools such as CANalyzer and VN series interfaces
    • Note:  A hardware switch (SW1) routes either CAN-A to DB-9 pins 2 and 7, or LIN to DB-9 pin 7
  • 12-pole spring contact terminal for CAN-A and LIN
  • 6-pole spring contact terminal with 2x UART
  • Arduino-compatible headers
    • 6-pin header with 6x analog input, SPI interfaces
    • 8-pin + 10-pin headers for digital inputs, USART, SPI, I2C
  • 32-pin header with GPIOs, LPUART, SPI, DAC, I2C, USART…
• Debugger – On-board debugger with UART connection
• Power Supply
  • Input voltage – 5 V to 48 V via main terminals, protected by a 51 V TVS diode and a 1 A slow-blow fuse
  • USB power – 4.75 V to 5.25 V via USB Type-C (ARDEP or Debug port)
  • Internal 5 V rail – 500 mA maximum total, shared across the 5 V and 3.3 V outputs and the MCU
  • 3.3 V output – Available on the Arduino header and 32-pin connector, 200 mA poly fuse per group
  • LIN supply input (VLIN) – 0 V to 24 V external, extendable to 36 V with different ESD protection
  • GPIO logic level: 3.3 V
  • Protection – Overvoltage, reverse current, and ESD protection on the supply path
• Dimensions – 109 x  69 x 16 mm
• Weight – About 60 grams

 

Power IO Shield specifications:

• Outputs – 6x high-side drivers based on the IPS2050HQ-32 smart high-side switch, 3 A continuous per channel, 10 A total across all six
• Inputs – 6x 48 V-capable digital inputs
• Diagnostics – Per-channel overcurrent and overtemperature fault indication via onboard LEDs, plus I2C fault feedback to the main board that identifies which driver IC has faulted
• Supply voltage – Up to 48 V DC
• Dimensions – 61 x 99 x 23 mm
• Weight – ~70 g (2.47 oz)

The firmware is based on Zephyr RTOS and supports UDS (Unified Diagnostic Services, ISO 14229).  Firmware update (DFU) is supported over both CAN and USB, a bootloader and firmware loader are pre-installed, and the company also provides a library with samples and demos for CAN, LIN, ADC, DAC, GPIO, UDS, and a CAN-to-USB bridge.

As mentioned in the introduction, the open-source hardware project is hosted on a GitHub repository owned by Mercedes-Benz, and you’ll find the KiCad and Alitum hardware design files, PDF schematics, source code for the firmware, library, and samples, as well as documentation. The work is marked as “Copyright: Mercedes-Benz AG” and released under the Apache 2.0 license.

There’s everything for you to build your own, but when I searched for a place to purchase the ARDEP V2 board, I ended up on Crowd Supply by Frickly Systems GmbH, which is preparing a crowdfunding campaign for the board (so no price yet). What is going on?

It turns out the ARDEP V2 is a collaboration between Frickly Systems GmbH (a Stuttgart-based engineering firm) and Mercedes-Benz, with the car maker hosting the project and using it in its “FlexCAR Rolling Chassis” open research vehicle, while Frickly handles all/most of the engineering work for the project itself.

Via Cursed Connector on X

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