Mentor Automotive Extends Test Platform Portfolio for Automotive Audio Bus

Next-Generation System Supports Newest A2B Transceivers

Mentor, a Siemens business, has extended its commitment to Automotive Audio Bus (A²B®) technology from Analog Devices, Inc. with the announcement of a second-generation A²B Analyzer System, additional support for the popular Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) protocol, and plans for a new A²B passive bus monitoring product.

Mentor’s second-generation A²B Analyzer platform incorporates all the robust functionality of its predecessor, while adding new features to support the latest AD242x family of transceivers from Analog Devices, including node simulation tools, A²B network configuration, and support for Slave-to-Slave node communication. The new Mentor Automotive A²B Analyzer System also includes a comprehensive Software Development Kit (SDK) with thoroughly documented APIs to enable users to implement a broad range of custom test applications.

“As A²B technology gains broader acceptance among leading OEMs around the world, Mentor Automotive remains a pioneer in delivering advanced platforms specifically designed to help automotive audio system engineers fully leverage all that the technology has to offer,” said Rainer Oder, general manager of Mentor Graphics’ Automotive Business Unit. “We are certain to serve our customers even better with the new features of our second product generation, while the first generation analyzer continues to meet with strong customer adoption among top global OEMs and Tier One/Tier Two suppliers alike.”

ASIO Driver Support Now Available; A²B Bus Monitor Product On The Way

In addition to introducing the next-generation A²B Analyzer System, Mentor has announced new support for the Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) driver, a popular technology from Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. With this driver, the Mentor A²B Analyzer hardware is presented as a virtual sound card to popular audio processing client applications such as AudioMulch, Audacity® and Reaper®, thereby enabling direct access to high fidelity individual audio streams over USB. ASIO driver support is available as an optional add-on to the A²B Analyzer software, and is compatible with both generations of Mentor’s A²B Analyzer platforms. Mentor Automotive has also announced plans to soon launch an automotive-grade A²B network monitor product engineered to help customers passively observe A²B bus traffic in a spy mode.

“Mentor Automotive has established a track record of strong leadership in support for Analog Devices’ A²B technology,” said Vlad Bulavsky, general manager, Automotive Cabin Electronics Business Unit, Analog Devices. “These latest additions to Mentor’s portfolio of solutions enabling the A²B technology will help our shared customers streamline design cycles, simplify network simulation and improve audio system quality through comprehensive testing, ultimately reducing the overall cost of development.”

The second-generation A²B Analyzer System is the latest offering from Mentor Automotive, a division of Mentor. The company’s distinguished track record of supplying automotive-grade electrical and electronic systems spans decades. Currently engaged with 17 of the world’s top 20 carmakers, the company is a leading supplier of automotive networking solutions, and the number one supplier of automotive Linux. Mentor provides hardware and design tools in the areas of automotive connectivity, electrification, autonomous drive and vehicle architecture.

Availability

The latest Mentor Automotive A²B Analyzer System and the ASIO Driver add-on are available now. Please contact your local Mentor Automotive sales office for more information.