STMicroelectronics Unveils Next-Generation Automotive NFC Readers, Advancing Digital Key Technology and In-Vehicle Connectivity
STMicroelectronics, a global leader in semiconductor technology, has introduced two new additions to its ST25R portfolio of automotive Near Field Communication (NFC) readers—bringing advanced performance, enhanced power output, and compact design to next-generation digital key applications. The new products, ST25R500 and ST25R501, are designed to meet the growing demand for seamless, secure, and reliable contactless communication in modern vehicles. These NFC readers provide a significant performance boost in terms of wake-up capability and detection range, enabling more responsive and intuitive user experiences for drivers and passengers alike.
As part of the company’s broader automotive solutions portfolio, the newly launched ST25R500 and ST25R501 have been engineered specifically to comply with stringent automotive industry standards. These include the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key specifications and the Wireless Power Consortium’s requirements for NFC-based protection in wireless charging environments. By supporting these evolving standards, STMicroelectronics is addressing key use cases such as smartphone-based car access, push-to-start systems, and secure wireless charging in the vehicle cabin.
Market-Leading Performance with Compact Design
At the heart of these new NFC readers lies a powerful combination of advanced features. Both the ST25R500 and ST25R501 offer a market-leading peak output power of 2 watts, coupled with high receiver sensitivity. This translates into up to 70% greater interaction range compared to competing NFC readers on the market—a critical advantage for applications where reliability and speed of communication are paramount.
The ST25R501 stands out in particular due to its compact footprint. Housed in an ultra-small 4mm x 4mm QFN package, it occupies 36% less printed circuit board (PCB) area compared to other automotive-grade NFC readers with similar power capabilities. This makes it especially well-suited for space-constrained applications such as doorhandle modules and B-pillar implementations, where compactness and RF performance must coexist. Despite its small size, the ST25R501 delivers robust RF capabilities that maintain consistent performance even with tightly packed antenna layouts—something essential in modern vehicle design where space optimization is crucial.
The ST25R500, while slightly larger at 5mm x 5mm, offers higher continuous output power, making it the preferred choice for applications like key fob charging and center console modules. Both devices are fully AEC-Q100 qualified, ensuring compliance with automotive-grade reliability standards. They are also compliant with the NFC Forum’s CR13 specifications, which cover interoperability, signal modulation, and waveform standards required for modern digital key systems.
Broad Application in Digital Key and Charging Systems
The new ST25R NFC readers are specifically tailored to support a wide range of automotive applications that require fast, secure, and reliable contactless communication. These include digital key functionalities such as door access and engine start, which are increasingly being integrated into smartphones and wearable devices. The readers are also deployed in center-console wireless charging systems, where they play a role in NFC card protection to ensure that sensitive digital key credentials are not compromised during charging sessions.
In addition to supporting digital car access and charging safety, both the ST25R500 and ST25R501 support NFC-based pairing for data exchange and device connectivity. This allows users to effortlessly connect their mobile devices to the car’s infotainment or control systems through a simple tap, enhancing user convenience and streamlining the setup process for in-car personalization.
The devices support multiple NFC communication standards, including NFC-A (ISO14443A), NFC-B (ISO14443B), and NFC-F (FeliCa™), ensuring broad compatibility with a wide range of consumer devices. Additionally, both chips are capable of card emulation modes, allowing them to simulate an NFC card—a vital function for implementing security features such as NFC card protection in Qi wireless charging pads.
Real-World Demonstration and Industry Adoption
STMicroelectronics showcased the capabilities of these new readers at Embedded World 2025, where they were part of a larger portfolio demonstration featuring the company’s latest innovations in NFC technology. One of the highlights at the show was the ST25R300, a high-performance NFC reader designed for consumer and industrial applications. The ST25R300 delivers up to 2.2W of output power, providing strong communication even in environments with high electromagnetic interference. When used in tandem with the ST25R500 or ST25R501, designers can place antennas behind LCD screens or within enclosures such as cabinets, doors, or machinery, without sacrificing performance.
Commenting on the product launch, Rene Wutte, Head of Automotive NFC Reader Marketing at STMicroelectronics, stated:
The automotive readers we are announcing today are the subject of ongoing design activities with lead customers, covering a vast majority of accounts and including the major players in the automotive market. They simplify engineering challenges, allowing product development teams to focus on creating sleek, slim, and stylish designs that enhance the user experience by providing seamless and enjoyable contactless interactions between vehicle owners and their cars.”
Early industry feedback further underscores the value these devices bring. One of the initial adopters is The Marquardt Group, a high-tech electronics company known for its work in automotive access systems. Johannes Mattes, responsible for global access sensor development at Marquardt, noted:
OEMs and device makers impose strict requirements on the range performance of automotive NFC equipment. In the past, we have needed to commit a great deal of time to passing those measurement points and there have been significant engineering risks. Using ST’s latest high-power readers in our new doorhandle module for digital access control enabled us to complete the design extremely quickly while also significantly boosting the performance compared to legacy products.”
Designed for Resilience and Ease of Integration
The ST25R500 and ST25R501 also incorporate advanced features that simplify development and improve reliability in harsh automotive environments. Both readers offer high noise immunity and enhanced receiver sensitivity, allowing them to operate reliably in conditions with significant electromagnetic interference. Integrated dynamic power output automatically adjusts transmitted signal strength to account for antenna detuning—whether due to design constraints or real-world operating conditions—while staying within NFC Forum limits to ensure tag safety.
Another highlight is the active waveshaping feature, which enables fine-tuning of output waveforms to ensure compliance with strict NFC Forum and CCC Digital Key requirements. These include tests for signal monotonicity and limits on overshoots and undershoots—important factors for ensuring robust and compliant NFC communication. Developers can make these adjustments easily through register settings, aided by ST’s graphical user interface and integrated development tools.
Developer Tools and Availability
To help customers accelerate design and integration, ST provides a full suite of software support for its ST25R family. This includes middleware, RF abstraction layers (RFAL), and CCC Digital Key libraries, as well as integration into ST’s eDesignSuite tools such as the new PCB Thermal Simulator, which helps optimize thermal management for compact board layouts.
The ST25R500 is currently in mass production and available in a 5mm x 5mm QFN package. Pricing starts at $2.14 for quantities of 10,000 units. The ST25R501, offering a more compact 4mm x 4mm form factor, is slated for availability in the third quarter of 2025, with a starting price of $1.93 for the same order quantity.
As the automotive industry continues to embrace digital transformation, STMicroelectronics’ latest NFC readers play a pivotal role in enabling safer, smarter, and more seamless vehicle access and connectivity experiences. With these new solutions, automakers and Tier 1 suppliers gain the flexibility, performance, and reliability needed to meet the growing expectations of modern vehicle users.
