C is often called "Embedded C" when applied to microcontrollers, though it is fundamentally the same language with a hardware-centric mindset. It is preferred for bare-metal, low-resource systems because it produces highly compact code.

Rust Programming Language vs C for Embedded Systems - ByteSnap

Embedded systems programming is a specialized field where software is designed to function within specific hardware configurations—like car control systems or medical devices—where every bit and clock cycle counts. While has been the industry backbone for decades due to its predictability and direct hardware control, C++ is increasingly favored for modern, complex applications because of its superior abstraction and safety features. The Role of C: "The Hardware Language"