On November 9th， according to a report from MyDrivers， Samsung has unveiled an upcoming detachable automotive SSD (Detachable AutoSSD)， codenamed “AM9C1 E1.A”. What’s truly groundbreaking about this edition is that both the controller chip and the flash memory chips can be removed and replaced independently!
Samsung first introduced its dedicated automotive SSD， the AM9C1， last year. This BGA-packaged SSD integrated Samsung’s proprietary 5nm PCIe 4.0 controller and eighth-generation V-NAND flash memory. It offered capacities ranging from 128GB to 2TB， with sequential read speeds reaching up to 4700MB/s and write speeds up to 1400MB/s.
The AM9C1 E1.A iteration retains the original controller and flash memory architecture but adopts a modular design. The SSD controller and flash memory are now separated into two independent modules， allowing for individual replacement and upgrades.
This modularity opens up significant possibilities. For instance， automakers or end-users could potentially swap out the flash memory for higher capacities. Even more excitingly， there’s the potential to upgrade to a PCIe 5.0 controller， offering a substantial performance leap.
Furthermore， the E1.A variant features enhanced thermal management， a critical consideration for automotive applications， which is designed to extend the product’s lifespan and ensure reliable operation under demanding conditions.
This innovative， user-upgradable approach to SSD design， particularly for such a critical component in vehicles， is a remarkable development. It addresses future-proofing needs and offers a path to improved performance and storage without requiring a complete component replacement. The potential for automotive manufacturers to offer tiered storage options or future performance upgrades through simple component swaps is a compelling proposition.
One can only hope that Samsung will soon bring such a forward-thinking and flexible design philosophy to the consumer-grade SSD market， where similar benefits in terms of upgradability and lifespan could be highly appreciated.
