Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology today announced it has successfully developed the industry’s first PCIe 4.0 automotive SSD based on eighth-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND). With industry-leading speeds and enhanced reliability, the new auto SSD, AM9C1, is an optimal solution for on-device AI capabilities in automotive applications.

With about 50% improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor, AM991, the new 256GB auto SSD will deliver sequential read and write speeds of up to 4,400 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and 400MB/s, respectively.

"We are collaborating with global autonomous vehicle makers by providing high-performance, high-capacity automotive products," said Hyunduk Cho, Vice President and Head of Automotive Group at Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business. "Samsung will continue to lead the Physical AI¹ memory market that encompasses autonomous driving to robotics technologies."

Built on Samsung’s 5-nanometer (nm) controller and providing a single-level cell (SLC) Namespace² feature, the AM9C1 demonstrates high performance for easier access to files with heavy data. By switching from its original triple-level cell (TLC) state to SLC mode, users can enjoy the boosted read and write speeds of up to 4,700MB/s and 1,400MB/s, respectively, while also benefitting from the added reliability of SLC SSDs

The 256GB AM9C1 is currently sampling with key partners and is expected to begin mass production by the end of this year. In response to the growing demand for high-capacity automotive SSDs, Samsung plans to offer multiple storage lineups of the AM9C1 ranging from 128GB to 2 terabytes (TB). The industry’s largest 2TB model is scheduled to start mass production early next year.

Through intensified board-level tests, Samsung’s new auto SSD product satisfies the automotive semiconductor quality standard AEC-Q100³ Grade 2, ensuring stable performance over a wide temperature range of -40°C to 105°C.

To further meet the high standards of the automotive industry in terms of durability and stability, Samsung also conducts various quality assurance processes. The company received ASPICE⁴ (Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination) CL3 authentication with its UFS 3.1 product in March this year.

In an effort of obtain CSMS⁵ (Cyber Security Management System) certification based on ISO/SAE 21434, Samsung will actively enhance the technological reliability and stability of its automotive solutions.

"ASPICE and ISO/SAE 21434 certifications are milestones that affirm the reliability and stability of our technology,” said Hwaseok Oh, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business. “Samsung will continue to elevate its product stability and quality, providing the best solution to key partners."