Freescale Semiconductor and ELMOS Semiconductor have teamed up to develop multi-chip products to embed a higher level of intelligence into next-generation automotive systems.

Specifically, the two companies plan to co-develop application-specific semiconductor products (ASSP) that combine Freescale's 16-bit microcontroller (MCU) architectures with ELMOS' high-voltage CMOS ASSPs for intelligent distributed control (IDC) products.

"When the first jointly developed IDC products reach the market, Freescale's and ELMOS' customers will reap the benefits of greater design flexibility, reliability and faster time to market," said Paul Grimme, senior v-p and general manager of Freescale's transportation and standard products group, in a statement this morning.

The first multi-chip development projects planned will integrate Freescale's 16-bit S12/S12X architecture with an ELMOS ASSP design, expanding the market reach of the S12 architecture into ELMOS' IDC solutions based on multi-chip devices. The duo did not state which automotive application the first products from the partnership would focus on, only saying that together they plan on devolving technologies for a range of applications, including body control solutions, remote motor control units for comfort functions and safety applications.

"Freescale and ELMOS ultimately plan to drive a dedicated line of intelligent co-integrated products for a broad range of automotive applications," said Dr Anton Mindl, CEO of ELMOS, in the statement. "The combination of Freescale's and ELMOS' complementary semiconductor design and manufacturing expertise is expected to accelerate the introduction of next-generation system-in-package control devices."

The first jointly developed products are planned to enter the automotive market in 2007. At that time, Freescale could be fully acquired by a private equity consortium, the Austin-based company announced last week that it had agreed to a $17.6bn buyout by a consortium lead by the Blackstone Group.