NXP Semiconductors unveils its i.MX 952 AI-enabled applications processor for automotive human-machine interfaces (HMIs), in-cabin sensing, and vision applications. This new applications processor leverages NXP’s sensor fusion, powered by the eIQ neutron neural processing unit (NPU), for applications such as driver monitoring, child presence detection, and industrial HMI systems.
The i.MX 952 applications processor uses AI to take inputs from different sensors to deliver more accurate and usable data for improved safety in interior cabin sensing applications and to meet regulatory requirements such as the Euro NCAP. These in-cabin sensing systems are used to determine driver attention levels, ensure proper airbag calibration, and detect a child left alone in a car.
“By combining the data from cameras, UWB, ultrasonic and other sensors, the i.MX 952 SoC enhances the intelligence each system provides to deliver a more intuitive interaction between the driver and car,” said Dan Loop, vice president and general manager, edge microprocessor, NXP, in a statement. “This allows OEMs and Tier 1s to offer additional value beyond safety, such as health monitoring, personalization and more, while scalability with the i.MX 95 family reduces hardware and software total cost of ownership and improves times to market.”
The i.MX 952 also can be used in industrial applications, such as AI-powered surveillance and environment sensing applications, as well as HMI systems. The applications processor leverages AI to provide real-time analysis and anomaly detection across the factory floor, and it supports low-power scale to multi-site monitoring and control from a central office.
The i.MX 952, part of NXP’s i.MX 9 series, is pin-to-pin compatible with the i.MX 95 family. This makes it easier for developers to scale their hardware and software design to meet different price points with a single platform design, NXP said.
The i.MX 952 features an integrated eIQ Neutron NPU for use with multiple camera sensors and an image signal processor and supports RGB-IR sensors. It delivers low-power, real-time, and high-performance processing through a multi-core application domain with up to four Arm Cortex-A55 cores, and an independent safety domain with Arm Cortex-M7 and Arm Cortex-M33 CPUs. It enables ISO 26262 ASIL B compliant platforms and SIL2/SIL3 compliant platforms in industrial safety-critical environments.
NXP claims the i.MX 952 SoC is the industry’s first automotive and industrial processor with integrated support for local dimming, delivering lower power consumption and improved visibility.
With the iMX 952, in-cabin LCD panels and HUDs use less energy, deliver higher contrast, and enhance outdoor HMI panels by dynamically adjusting brightness for optimal visibility in harsh lighting conditions, NXP said, reducing power consumption and eliminating the need for additional components.
The new SoC also features advanced security. This includes EdgeLock Secure Enclave (Advanced Profile), a hardware root of trust that simplifies the implementation of security-critical functions such as secure boot, secure update, device attestation, and secure device access, based on both classic cryptography and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to ensure security into the future. Together with NXP’s EdgeLock 2GO key management services, OEMs can securely provision i.MX 952 SoC-based products with credentials for secure remote management of devices deployed in the field, including secure over-the-air updates.
The i.MX 952 applications processor will start sampling in the first half of 2026.