Microchip Technology has announced the launch of its AVR SD family of microcontrollers (MCUs), aimed at reducing system cost and complexity in safety-critical applications.

Microchip’s AVR® SD MCU family enables industry-standard functional safety compliance at a price point under a dollarCHANDLER, Ariz., March 19, 2025 — To assist engineers in meeting stringent safety requirements while minimizing design costs and complexity, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) has launched the AVR® SD family of microcontrollers (MCUs). The MCUs feature built-in functional safety mechanisms and are designed to support applications requiring rigorous safety assurance. Paired with a dedicated safety software framework, this is the first entry-level MCU of its kind—at this price point—designed to meet Automotive Safety Integrity Level C (ASIL C) and Safety Integrity Level 2 (SIL 2) requirements, which mandate redundant safety checks. Further enhancing the safety credentials of the AVR SD family, the MCUs follow a functional safety management system that has been certified by TÜV Rheinland. Hardware safety features include a dual-core lockstep CPU, dual Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), Error Correction Code (ECC) on all memories, a dedicated error controller module, error injection mechanisms and voltage and clock monitors. These features reduce fault detection time and software complexity