Interview: Congatec CEO says processor choice is key

Gerhard Edi, CEO of Congatec talks to Electronics Weekly about the impact ARM is having on the Intel dominated embedded processor market.  
As a provider of embedded computer modules for Intel, ARM and AMD, what’s your take on the current processor market? How do the different processors size up against each other?
Gerhard Edi: Most of our COMs utilize Intel processors which scale from power saving Intel Atom up to the 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 processors. AMD comes into play when high performance integrated graphics are required.

In order to offer a solution for applications which require even lower power consumption we offer Qseven modules based on ARM Cortex 9 (Freescale i.MX6) processors.

These processors are used on standardized COM form factors like COM Express and Qseven, which provides the ability to exchange modules. Qseven allows designers to switch between ARM and x86 architecture without changing the carrier board or the system design.
Congatec is a founding member of SGET, a new Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies. Does the industry really need another standards group and how is this initiative different from previous ones?
Gerhard Edi: Existing committees for standardization are quite old and slow in their structure and organization. The young and fresh SGET group allows new specifications to be generated in less time. This is necessary because technology is changing fast and new standards for upcoming technologies need to be established as early as possible in order to avoid multiple vendor driven, non-standardized solutions with no interchangeability.

What functionalities and/or technical features will drive the next generation of embedded standards?
Gerhard Edi: Right now we see no requirements for a completely new COM standard. COM Express was recently updated to Rev. 2.1 and provides a very complete set of interfaces thanks to the Type 6 pinout definition.

Qseven was defined from day one for low power applications in combination with a legacy free set of interfaces and covers the required features for x86 and ARM applications within one common definition.

There might be a need for minor updates within the next years but no need for something completely new.