Press Release
*****For immediate use November 16th, 1999
(Story originates with NEC in Paris)
NEC Revolutionizes Smart Cards- First 32-bit Security Microcontroller Goes Into Production -
TOKYO November 16th, 1999 - NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is pushing ahead its commitment to the smart card industry with the introduction of the V-WAY security microcontroller platform, the industry's first 32-bit RISC architecture CPU. The V-WAY32 device, based on the NEC V850 core, will be the first product of this new family to go into production from the second quarter of year 2000. While 8-bit CISC engines still represent the main stream in microcontrollers for smart cards, the emergence of interoperable Open Platforms calls for the development of a new secure high-end architecture that meets demands for memory and performance expansion. NEC is one of the early entrants in this new market and with the V-WAY platform it defines a new generation of security microcontrollers for smart cards. With its first device already available, NEC is committed to developing a full range of products. The V-WAY family will initially target the extensive range of applications within the sphere of mobile commerce. "Gemplus pioneered the concept of 32-bit on Smart Cards and backed NEC's initiative in this field from day one through a technical cooperation. We strongly believe that 32-bit RISC is one of the most relevant ways of addressing the needs of open operating systems. We therefore welcome NEC's introduction of the V-WAY family," said Gemplus Alain Sigaud, VP Java Card and GSM technologies. V-WAY32 is the first device of the V-WAY family to be released for production during the second quarter of year 2000. V-WAY32 integrates what smart cards need most in present and future applications: a small size NEC V850 engine that combines high performance and low power dissipation, with 128Kbytes of ROM, 3Kbytes of RAM and 32Kbytes of EEPROM; and the NEC SuperMAP crypto-engine (with an additional 1024bits of memory space) for fast public encryption such as RSA, DSA or ECC. Jean-Francois Chouteau, Director of the NEC Smart Card Application Centre, adds: "Most people generally perceive 32-bit RISC as a luxurious and expensive solution. The truth is that the CPU accounts for less than 10 % of the size of a Smart Card MCU and therefore has a negligible impact on its cost. While Smart Cards are moving toward open platforms, I cannot see any good reason for not adopting state-of-the-art machines that basically remove all the limitations of traditional 8/16-bit CISC devices". For NEC Corporation, please see the attached sheet. *** Note for Editors:
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