A semiconductor memory device that speeds up its operation. An interconnect network provides data paths for transfer of operand data between functional units. At least one component of the gateway also serves as a component of the vehicle-end control section for the electronic immobilizer. The decoder selection stage instructs the generator matrix stage to configure the decoding stage according to the selected decoding code format. The invention further relates to a method to reduce the wear on a counterbody of a metal substrate coated with a tetrahedral carbon coating.