From high-performance COM Express modules to integrated software and security frameworks, SECO enables scalable edge platforms designed for AI-driven applications. By combining next-generation processors, modular architectures, and lifecycle-aware software foundations, OEMs can accelerate development while addressing emerging cybersecurity and regulatory requirements.
SECO’s journey in COM Express technology is rooted in a long-term commitment to open standards, modularity, and industrial reliability. The path formally began in 2008, when SECO joined PICMG, the consortium behind the COM Express specification. Since then, COM Express has become a strategic pillar of SECO’s embedded roadmap.
Over more than 15 years of continuous development, SECO has designed and launched around 40 COM Express modules, covering both Basic and Compact form factors. This portfolio spans Type 6 and Type 7 modules and supports a wide range of both ARM and x86 processor architectures.
SECO’s deep involvement in the PICMG ecosystem has translated into strong know-how in specification compliance, long-term availability and design robustness. Our COMs embrace the latest revision of the 3.1 specification, introducing higher bandwidth interfaces such as USB4 support, PCIe Gen 4, 16 Gbps connectors, and support for camera interfaces such as MIPI-CSI.
Recent COM Express platforms powering SECO’s edge roadmap
SECO’s COM Express portfolio continues to evolve to address the growing demand for higher computing performance, integrated AI acceleration, and long-term industrial reliability at the edge, within a broader edge computing ecosystem that combines modular hardware with SECO’s Clea software framework for device management, AI deployment, and lifecycle security.
Among the recent additions, the SOM-COMe-BT6-PTL brings the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 processors to the COM Express Type 6 ecosystem, delivering a new level of hybrid computing performance for embedded and industrial edge systems. With up to sixteen CPU cores and Intel NPU 5 providing up to 50 TOPS of dedicated AI acceleration—reaching up to 180 platform TOPS—this module is designed for AI-driven applications such as industrial automation, multi-camera vision, and advanced HMI systems. The module supports two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots with capacities up to 96GB and exposes up to 20 PCIe Gen4 lanes alongside USB4 40Gbps connectivity and 2.5GbE networking, providing the bandwidth required for multi-sensor data acquisition, high-resolution vision pipelines, and AI-accelerated latency-sensitive workloads.
The SOM-COMe-CT6-P100 expands SECO’s COM Express portfolio with AMD Ryzen™ AI Embedded P100 processors (formerly V4000), combining high compute performance up to 12 Zen5 CPU cores and the XDNA2 integrated NPU for integrated AI acceleration capabilities. The module features AMD RDNA NAVI3.5-based graphics and supports DDR5 memory configurations alongside a rich set of high-speed interfaces, including PCIe Gen4 and USB4 connectivity. Designed for embedded and industrial deployments, it supports both commercial and extended industrial temperature ranges, enabling reliable operation in demanding environments while providing a flexible foundation for AI-enabled edge systems, delivering up to 80 TOPs of combined GPU and NPU performance.
Another key highlight is the SOM-COMe-CT6-Dragonwing-IQ-X, a high-performance COM Express Type 6 module based on the Qualcomm Dragonwing™ IQ-X platform, designed to support advanced edge AI workloads in industrial environments. Equipped with up to 12-core Qualcomm Oryon™ CPUs and up to 45 TOPS of on-device AI acceleration, it enables real-time analytics, control, and visualization while maintaining high energy efficiency. With support for multiple cameras, high-resolution displays, and high-speed interfaces such as USB4 and PCIe Gen4, the module is particularly suited for industrial automation systems, AI-enabled HMIs, and vision-based applications operating at the edge, such as medical imaging and smart retail at the edge. This solution represents a significant step in bringing Arm-based innovation to the COM Express ecosystem.
A comprehensive and tightly integrated software stack for edge AI deployment
SECO’s COM Express platforms are supported by a comprehensive and tightly integrated software stack. At the foundation, SECO delivers optimized and customizable BIOS implementations tailored to customer-specific requirements. On top of this, Clea OS, SECO’s industrial-grade operating system based on Yocto, is designed for advanced security and reliability, featuring mechanisms such as double A/B partitioning and recovery to ensure safe OTA updates and high system availability in the field. The platform also supports containerized workloads and fleet-wide deployment, allowing OEMs to consistently distribute and update applications across large fleets of edge devices.
These new COM Express solutions are strongly oriented toward local AI inference at the edge. Through Clea’s device management capabilities, SECO enables remote deployment, monitoring, and updates of AI models. In addition, the Application Hub provides access to AI-ready applications and inference models specifically validated for SECO platforms, enabling developers to quickly integrate vision, analytics, and automation workloads and deploy them through Clea’s device management pipeline.
Designing COM Express platforms for long-term product security
Regulatory frameworks such as the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) are redefining how connected embedded platforms must be designed and maintained. The regulation introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements, including secure-by-design architectures, vulnerability management across the entire lifecycle, and the ability to deliver reliable security updates supported by clear technical documentation, such as Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Within this context, SECO’s COM Express platforms—combined with Clea OS—provide a foundation for building systems that integrate security mechanisms such as hardware root-of-trust, secure boot, firmware validation, encrypted communication, and controlled update processes, helping OEMs simplify compliance and long-term lifecycle security management.
As cybersecurity requirements expand beyond device-level protections, OEMs must also consider traceability, supply chain transparency, and long-term product support when designing embedded platforms. Industrial deployments often remain in the field for many years, making it essential to maintain consistent hardware availability, validated software stacks, and clear documentation of system components.
COM Express modules help address these challenges by separating the processing module from the carrier design, allowing performance upgrades and security maintenance without redesigning the entire system. This modular approach simplifies long-term platform maintenance and supports the evolving security expectations placed on connected industrial infrastructure.
COM Express as a foundation for scalable and secure edge system design
From its early adoption in 2008 to today’s latest platforms, SECO continues to shape COM Express innovation by combining high-performance modules, integrated software foundations, and a strong focus on long-term security and lifecycle management. Through its evolving portfolio—including solutions based on Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm processors—SECO enables OEMs to build scalable edge systems capable of supporting AI workloads, industrial automation, and advanced HMI applications while addressing emerging cybersecurity and regulatory requirements.
If you are designing a new embedded system or planning the next generation of your edge platform, SECO’s experts can help you evaluate the right COM Express solution and integration strategy for your specific application. Contact SECO to discuss your project and explore how COM Express modules can accelerate the development of your next edge system.