Infineon Automotive Microcontrollers Platform Accelerates Virtual MCU Evaluation with AWS

The Automotive Microcontrollers Platform introduced through a collaboration between Infineon Technologies AG and Amazon Web Services aims to transform how automotive engineering teams evaluate and develop microcontroller-based systems. By moving evaluation workflows into the cloud, the solution eliminates the need for physical hardware during the early stages of development. This approach is intended to accelerate engineering activities, improve accessibility for development teams, and support the growing demand for faster product cycles across the automotive industry. The platform has already incorporated Infineon's next-generation RISC-V architecture, providing developers with early access to emerging MCU technologies.

Cloud-Based Evaluation Reduces Development Delays

Infineon stated that the new platform can reduce microcontroller evaluation timelines from several weeks to only a few minutes. In addition to significantly shortening evaluation cycles, the system lowers per-user evaluation costs and can accommodate hundreds of simultaneous users worldwide. The ability to access and test microcontrollers remotely allows engineering teams to begin software and system development much earlier than traditional hardware-dependent processes. As vehicle software complexity continues to increase, such capabilities are becoming increasingly important for automotive manufacturers and technology suppliers.

Supporting the Growth of Software-Defined Vehicles

Thomas Schneid, Vice President of Software, Partner & Ecosystem Management at Infineon, highlighted that development speed has become a major competitive differentiator in the automotive sector. He noted that dependence on physical hardware has often slowed engineering workflows and limited early-stage development opportunities. According to Schneid, the new cloud-based environment enables customers to engage with Infineon microcontrollers much sooner in the development cycle, including products based on RISC-V architecture, helping teams advance software-defined vehicle programs more efficiently.

AWS Virtual Engineering Workbench Powers the Platform

The solution is built on AWS Virtual Engineering Workbench, an open-source framework used by automotive and manufacturing organizations to manage digital engineering environments. The platform combines digital toolchains, hardware virtualization capabilities, and infrastructure management within a unified ecosystem. Through a browser-based interface, users can access dedicated cloud environments without installing local development tools. This setup simplifies onboarding, enhances scalability, and provides secure, isolated workspaces for individual engineering teams.

Platform Features and User Modes

Sonja Gatzke, Head of Manufacturing at Germany-based AWS operations, stated that the collaboration enables developers to begin evaluating microcontrollers within minutes rather than waiting days for hardware access. The platform supports two distinct operating modes designed for different development requirements.

• Quick Mode provides rapid testing using pre-configured reference applications.
• Expert Mode delivers a complete browser-based virtual machine environment.
• Advanced users can compile, flash, debug, and analyze application performance.
• RISC-V-based architectures are immediately accessible through the cloud environment.

Automation and Future Availability

Beyond customer-facing evaluation capabilities, the platform streamlines internal product management processes by automating the packaging and release of new MCU variants. It also incorporates usage analytics that help product teams understand developer behavior and identify future product opportunities. Infineon indicated that selected customers will gain access to the platform during the third quarter of 2026, with broader availability planned afterward. The initiative reflects the industry's continued transition toward cloud-native engineering workflows and software-centric vehicle development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of Infineon's new Automotive Microcontrollers Platform?
The platform enables automotive developers to evaluate and prototype microcontrollers in a cloud-based environment without relying on physical hardware. By providing browser-based access to virtual MCU environments, the solution significantly reduces evaluation timelines, lowers costs, and supports large-scale collaboration. It also allows developers to work with Infineon's latest RISC-V-based microcontrollers earlier in the development process, helping accelerate software-defined vehicle programs and overall automotive product development.

When will the platform become available to customers?
Infineon plans to make the platform available to selected customers starting in the third quarter of 2026 before expanding access more broadly. The phased rollout will allow customers to evaluate and develop applications using virtual MCU environments through AWS infrastructure. The platform is designed to support global engineering teams with scalable cloud access, automated workflows, and advanced development capabilities that improve efficiency throughout the automotive software and hardware development lifecycle.