Renesas Unveils RA4L1 MCUs for IoT, Smart Locks, Water Meters

TOKYO, Japan, Feb 20, 2025 – Renesas Electronics Corp. has introduced the RA4L1 microcontroller (MCU) group, including 14 new devices with ultra-low power consumption, advanced security features, and segment LCD support. Based on an 80-MHz Arm Cortex M33 processor with TrustZone support, the new MCUs deliver features and power savings that enable designers to address a myriad of applications, including water meter, smart locks, and IoT sensors.

The RA4L1 MCUs employ proprietary low-power technology that delivers 168 µA/MHz active mode @ 80 MHz and standby current of just 1.70 µA with all the SRAM retained. They are also available in small packages, including a 3.64 x 4.28 mm wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP), addressing the needs of products such as portable printers, digital cameras, and smart labels.

The RA4L1 MCUs are supported by Renesas’ flexible software package (FSP). The FSP enables faster application development by providing all the infrastructure software needed, including multiple RTOS, BSP, peripheral drivers, middleware, connectivity, networking, TrustZone support, and reference software to build complex AI, motor control, and cloud solutions. It allows customers to integrate their legacy code and choice of RTOS with FSP, thus providing full flexibility in application development. The FSP eases existing IP migration to and from RA6 or RA2 Series devices.

“Renesas’ RA2L1 Group MCUs have seen remarkable market success since their launch in 2020, addressing a diverse range of low-power applications requiring capacitive touch. Built on the same low-power technology, the RA4L1 Group is our response to customers who require the unique combination of ultra-low power with better CPU performance, segment LCD support and advanced security,” said Daryl Khoo, vice president of embedded processing marketing division at Renesas.

Key features of the RA4L1 MCUs:

  • Core: 80 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 with TrustZone
  • Memory: 256-512 KB Dual-Bank Flash, 64 KB SRAM, 8 KB Dataflash
  • Peripherals: Segment LCD, Capacitive Touch, USB-FS, CAN FD, Low Power UART, SCI, SPI, QSPI, I2C, I3C, SSI, ADC, DAC, Comparator, Low Power Timer, Real-Time Clock 
  • Packages: 3.64 x 4.28 mm WLCSP72, 7 x 7 mm LQFP48, 10 x 10 mm LQFP64, 14 x 14 mm LQFP100, 5.5 x 5.5 mm BGA64, 7 x 7 mm BGA100
  • Security: Unique ID, RSIP security engine supporting TRNG, AES, ECC, Hash
  • Wide Ambient Temperature Range: Ta = -40º to +125º C for the QFN, QFP and CSP package options; Ta = -40º to +105º C for the BGA package option

Availability

The RA4L1 MCUs are available now, along with the FSP software. Renesas also ships an RA4L1 Evaluation Board and an RA4L1 Capacitive Touch Renesas Solution Starter Kit (RSSK). More information is available at renesas.com/RA4L1. Samples and kits can be ordered on the Renesas website or through distributors.

Renesas MCU Leadership

A world leader in MCUs, Renesas ships more than 3.5 billion units annually, with approximately 50% of shipments serving the automotive industry, and the remainder supporting industrial and IoT applications and data center and communications infrastructure. Renesas has the broadest portfolio of 8-, 16- and 32-bit devices, delivering supreme quality and efficiency with superlative. As a reliable supplier, Renesas has decades of experience designing smart, secure MCUsbacked by a dual-source production model, the industry’s advanced MCU process technology, and a vast network of more than 250 ecosystem partners.

For more information about Renesas MCUs, visit renesas.com/MCUs.

About Renesas Electronics Corp.

Renesas Electronics Corp. is a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company specializes in research, development, design, manufacture, sale, and servicing semiconductor products. Renesas offers a portfolio that includes microcontrollers, analog products, power devices, and system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. The products serve various industries, notably automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and Internet of Things (IoT) sectors. As of Dec. 31, 2024, Renesas employs approximately 21,204 individuals worldwide. In the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, Renesas reported revenue of approximately ¥1,348.5 billion, while the company’s operating profit for the same period was approximately ¥223.0 billion.