NXP Launches i.MX 952 Application Processor to Power AI-Driven Automotive and Industrial Intelligence

What’s New

NXP Semiconductors today announced the i.MX 952 application processor, the latest addition to its i.MX 9 series. Designed for AI-enabled vision, human-machine interface (HMI), and in-cabin sensing applications, the i.MX 952 leverages NXP’s eIQ® Neutron neural processing unit (NPU) to enable intelligent sensor fusion for functions such as driver monitoring and child presence detection.

The SoC is pin-compatible with the i.MX 95 family, allowing developers to scale hardware and software designs across multiple performance tiers. This compatibility reduces development costs, accelerates time to market, and simplifies product differentiation within a single platform design.

 

Why It Matters

Driven by global automotive safety regulations and initiatives such as Euro NCAP, in-cabin sensing systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated — monitoring driver attention, calibrating airbags, and detecting unattended children. The i.MX 952 utilizes AI-powered sensor fusion to combine data from cameras, UWB, ultrasonic, and other sensors, delivering a more powerful, scalable, and cost-effective in-cabin sensing solution that enhances safety and user experience while meeting emerging compliance standards.

By intelligently integrating multiple sensor inputs, the i.MX 952 provides vehicles with a richer understanding of the driver and surrounding environment. This enables OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to offer new value beyond safety — including personalization, comfort, and health monitoring — while lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) and development complexity.

 

Extending AI Beyond Automotive

Beyond automotive, the i.MX 952 is also designed for industrial environments, supporting AI-enabled monitoring, environmental awareness, and advanced HMI systems. Modern industrial operations require continuous 24/7 monitoring, real-time analysis, and adaptive responses to issues such as equipment faults or safety hazards. With integrated AI processing, the i.MX 952 enables real-time anomaly detection and predictive analytics across distributed sites, all with low power consumption and cost-efficient scalability.

 

Inside the i.MX 952

The processor is powered by NXP’s eIQ AI development environment, offering a highly efficient, low-power solution for vision and sensor fusion. It integrates the eIQ Neutron NPU with support for multiple camera inputs, a high-performance image signal processor (ISP) capable of 500 Mpixels/s, and RGB-IR sensor compatibility.

At its core, the i.MX 952 SoC combines up to four Arm® Cortex®-A55 cores for applications with a dedicated safety domain based on Arm Cortex-M7 and Cortex-M33 CPUs. It supports platforms designed for ISO 26262 ASIL-B and SIL2/SIL3 functional safety standards, enabling rapid deployment in safety-critical automotive and industrial systems.

 

Industry-First Local Dimming Support

The i.MX 952 is the first automotive and industrial processor to integrate local dimming technology, optimizing visibility and energy efficiency for LCD and HUD panels. By dynamically adjusting brightness levels, it improves outdoor display performance and reduces power consumption—minimizing screen washout in bright sunlight and enhancing visibility for vehicles such as two-wheelers and other open-air systems.

 

Built-In Post-Quantum Security

Equipped with EdgeLock Secure Enclave (Advanced Profile), the i.MX 952 is designed to meet the latest ISO 21434 and IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards, as well as upcoming regulatory requirements like the EU Cyber Resilience Act. The hardware root of trust supports both classical and post-quantum cryptography (PQC), enabling secure boot, device authentication, and OTA (over-the-air) updates.

Through NXP’s EdgeLock 2GO service, OEMs can securely provision and remotely manage credentials for devices built on the i.MX 952 platform—ensuring end-to-end trust and resilience from factory to field deployment.

 

Complete System Solution for Developers

The i.MX 952 is supported by NXP’s ecosystem of companion components, including the PF09 safety system PMIC, PF53 core power regulator, and Trimension™ NCJ29D6 ultra-wideband (UWB) chip for secure in-cabin sensing and short-range radar. It also integrates seamlessly with NXP’s scalable wireless portfolio, such as the IW693 and AW693 SoCs, which support Wi-Fi 6/6E, dual concurrent Wi-Fi (CDW), Bluetooth® Low Energy, and BLE Audio.

Samples of the i.MX 952 application processor are expected to be available in the first half of 2026.