In a historic breakthrough for the global tech industry, the eProcessor Project proudly announces the successful development and deployment of the Europe’s first out-of-order RISC-V processor silicon. This innovative processor, manufactured in a 22nm process, represents a leap forward in computational performance, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and speed in a range of industries, including automotive, AI, and high-performance computing.
Out-of-order execution allows the processor to optimize the use of system resources by executing instructions out of sequence. This greatly enhances the processor’s overall performance, offering substantial gains for applications that require high computational power. Moreover, the processor runs Linux, demonstrating its full functionality for real-world applications and confirming its capabilities in complex environments.
A Landmark Achievement for RISC-V and European Innovation
This pioneering development positions Europe as a leader in the global semiconductor and open-source hardware movement. The eProcessor Project, which brings together a collaborative network of industry experts, innovators, and researchers including key partners like Chalmers University, Forth, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Christmann, Exapsys, Extoll, Sapienza, Thales, Universität Bielefeld, and Cortus, marks a significant milestone in the RISC-V ecosystem. As the main partner contributor on the RISC-V processor, Cortus played a critical role in the architecture, design, and development of the 4-way Out-of-Order (OoO) RISC-V processor, driving the project forward with its deep expertise in processor architecture. Cortus’ contributions were pivotal in realizing the ambitious goals of the project, ensuring that the processor met the highest standards of performance, scalability, and energy efficiency.
Cortus was also responsible for the silicon implementation and chip packaging.
This project is fully aligned with Cortus’ strategy and roadmap, reinforcing the company’s commitment to advancing RISC-V architecture and driving innovations in the semiconductor space, particularly in areas like high-performance computing, and automotive solutions.
Key Milestone: Europe’s First Out-of-Order RISC-V Processor Silicon Successfully Deployed
The successful deployment of the Europe’s first out-of-order RISC-V processor silicon marks a key milestone in the eProcessor Project. This achievement represents the culmination of years of collaboration and technological innovation, bringing Europe to the forefront of semiconductor advancements. This milestone opens the door for future generations of processors, driving progress in both high-performance computing (HPC) and automotive systems, and will enable the development of a full-stack RISC-V ecosystem.
In Line with the EU Strategy and the European Chips Act
This project is a key step forward in Europe’s broader technological goals and is fully in line with the European Union’s strategy for semiconductor innovation, especially in light of the EU Chips Act. The EU has committed to boosting its semiconductor capacity, and the eProcessor Project plays a critical role in advancing Europe’s position in the global chip market. By contributing to the development of open-source RISC-V processors, the project supports the EU’s vision for technological autonomy, innovation, and a more resilient semiconductor supply chain across Europe.
eProcessor Project Lead, Lluc Alvarez, from BSC, commented: “The successful development of the first out-of-order RISC-V processor is a true testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. By leveraging the strength of our talented project members, including Cortus as the primary contributor, we’ve made a quantum leap in RISC-V processing technology, setting the stage for a new generation of computing solutions. This project is a critical milestone in Cortus’ strategic roadmap and reinforces our position at the forefront of RISC-V development.”
During the final deliverables and closing meeting of the eProcessor project, it was highlighted that the project has not only met its technical objectives but has also exceeded expectations. The out-of-order RISC-V processor is a significant milestone, showcasing the strength of Europe’s innovation ecosystem and suggesting the potential for a new era in computing.
Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry and Beyond
The successful creation of this out-of-order RISC-V processor is poised to revolutionize a number of industries, especially the automotive sector, where computing power and efficiency are critical to the development of autonomous driving systems, vehicle safety, and intelligent transportation. The processor’s ability to deliver high-performance computing at a lower energy cost is especially valuable in embedded systems, where resource efficiency is paramount.
Building a Complete European Open-Source Ecosystem
The eProcessor Project built a new Out-of-Order (OoO) RISC-V processor and accelerators to deliver a complete European full-stack ecosystem. The technology developed is extendable, energy-efficient (low power), extreme-scale (high performance), and suitable for uses in both high-performance computing (HPC) and embedded applications. Moreover, it is extensible, enabling easy integration of on-chip and/or off-chip components to meet evolving needs.
The project is an ambitious combination of processor design based on the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), applications, and system software. It leverages and extends pre-existing Intellectual Property (IP) combined with new IP that can be used as building blocks for future HPC systems and embedded devices, further solidifying Europe’s position as a leader in open hardware development.
Collaborative Effort with Leading Research Institutions and Industry Experts
The eProcessor Project’s success owes much to the collaboration with leading research institutions and industry experts. Partners like Chalmers University, Forth, BSC, Christmann, Exapsys, Extoll, Sapienza, Thales, Universität Bielefeld, and Cortus have contributed their expertise in hardware design, software optimization, and high-performance computing to ensure that the processor meets the demands of modern computing environments. These partnerships have been integral in validating the processor’s ability to run complex software, including Linux, making it ready for a wide range of real-Europe applications.
Global Impact and the Future of RISC-V
This processor not only represents a significant step forward in RISC-V adoption but also pushes the boundaries of what is possible with open-source hardware. With its enhanced performance and scalability, this breakthrough out-of-order processor is expected to fuel innovation in fields ranging from AI and machine learning to edge computing and smart devices.
As RISC-V continues to gain traction globally, this achievement helps cement the eProcessor Project’s role in the ongoing transformation of the semiconductor industry, offering an alternative to traditional closed-source architectures and providing new opportunities for companies to innovate with flexible, customizable processors.
The Path Ahead: Unlocking New Potential
To fully realize the potential of this groundbreaking RISC-V processor and compete at a global level, continued investment and strategic support are essential. While the eProcessor Project has made significant progress, further funding is necessary to enhance performance, refine architecture, and position it as a competitor to industry leaders like AMD, Intel and Arm.
This project is more than just a technical achievement, it’s a real opportunity to foster a new European hardware ecosystem, advancing technological autonomy and reducing reliance on external suppliers. With additional resources, the eProcessor Project can drive innovation in key sectors such as HPC, AI, automotive, and IoT, contributing to Europe’s long-term goals of digital sovereignty and leadership in semiconductor design.
Investing in the eProcessor Project not only supports cutting-edge technology but also positions Europe as a global leader in sustainable, customizable processors. With the right funding, this initiative will unlock new economic and technological opportunities, advancing Europe’s competitive edge in the global market.
About the eProcessor Project:
The eProcessor Project is a collaborative effort between leading tech innovators, academic researchers, and industry experts, including key contributors such as Chalmers University of Technology, Forth, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Christmann, Exapsys, Extoll, Sapienza, Thales, Universität Bielefeld, and Cortus. Focused on the development of RISC-V processors, the project aims to push the boundaries, delivering high-performance, customizable computing solutions for applications in automotive, AI, IoT, and more. With a commitment to fostering global innovation, the eProcessor Project continues to shape the future of semiconductor design, building a European ecosystem.
For media inquiries, please contact:
- BSC, Lluc Alvarez: eprocessor-general@bsc.es
- Cortus, Christophe Genevois: christophe.genevois@cortus.com
