Semiconductors Driving Vehicle Innovations
Design News webinar explores the increasing use of advanced chips in vehicle functions ranging from engines to infotainment.
Compared with even a few years ago, the amount of technology in today’s automobiles is staggering. In particular, the use of electronics, with a heavy dose of semiconductors, is a key part of vital functions such as engine control modules, braking, steering, a slew of safety features, and infotainment.
The key role of semiconductors in today’s vehicles was all too-apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when shortages of some chips caused production delays and thus shortages of many vehicles. While that situation has largely subsided, the lingering memories have led many suppliers to take a closer look at their supply-chain practices.
In a recent Design News webinar titled “Semiconductors for Advanced Vehicles,” Senior Editor Spencer Chin discussed the current situation in automotive semiconductors with Carsten Himmele, Segment Marketing Manager, Allegro MicroSystems, and Mark Muenzer, Fellow Motor Control, Infineon Technologies.
Both speakers brought a rich wealth of know-how and experience to the automotive semiconductor sector. Himmele has been with Allegro almost six years. Allegro is a global leader in sensors and power ICs, used in vehicle powertrain, safety, and other systems. Muenzer is a 25-year veteran of Infineon, which derives over half of its revenue from automotive. The company’s products for vehicles include MCUs, power semiconductors, connectivity products, sensors, and more.
Supply-Chain Reform
Both Himmele and Muenzer agreed that the semiconductor shortages and supply-chain issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic have largely passed. Himmele said Allegro has taken many supply-chain measures to alleviate potential issues and that any shortages are now isolated instances. Muenzer added that the issues encountered several years ago taught valuable lessons to both customers and suppliers. “Our customers have a better understanding of each other. This is leading to better planning and long-term contracts. “
Muenzer added that the production time for more semiconductors can take roughly half a year, meaning that order planning is needed, which he thought was understood by major OEMs. Himmele added that practices such as dual sourcing and standardization by Tier 1 automotive OEMs are also playing a role in mitigating potential supply-chain issues.
Sustainability Gaining
The drive for more efficient semiconductors is another trend in automotive. Muenzer cited Infineon’s drive to produce more power-efficient semiconductors using technologies such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride. He cited stats showing how much CO2 is saved by using an Infineon semiconductor.
Himmele added the performance of semiconductors for electric vehicle power trains has become important, whether it be a thermal control system, traction control system, or other function. He said the parts Allegro was designing was instrumental in improving battery performance and minimizing power loss.
Key Drivers
Responding to a question about the key drivers for automotive semiconductors, Muenzer said decarbonization and digitization were factors. For decarbonization, Muenzer noted vehicles were gravitating to zonal architectures with 48-V networks, requiring power-efficient semiconductors to reduce network power consumption while driving key functions and achieve necessary redundancy.
Himmele added that vehicle safety was necessitating the need for reliable semiconductors that help execute intended safety functions. He added this would become particularly crucial as autonomous driving systems gain in usage.
The question on whether to choose gallium nitride or silicon carbide also came up. Muenzer said the important factor was understanding the application. He said for a high-voltage application, silicon carbide was preferable, but for an onboard charger with high switching frequency, gallium nitride may be better. He added that gallium nitride’s characteristics were also suited for LiDAR systems. Muenzer added that few applications could benefit from using both technologies.
Himmele, addressing the technologies from a power driver IC standpoint, emphasized the need to understand the application. He added that despite the buzz around gallium nitride and silicon carbide, traditional silicon technologies are still in use. “Know the tools and application,” he emphasized.
The Future
In regards to future trends, Himmele sees a larger role of more accurate, precise sensors and semiconductors, allowing for downstream cost reductions and allowing customers to design more densely-packed electronics systems in vehicles. Muenzer, quoting an executive from Audi, said that 80 to 90% of future vehicle innovations have their roots in improved semiconductors, whether it be lighting, ADAS, autonomous technology, and comfort. Muenzer expects the semiconductor market to grow at a double-digit rate in coming years.
You can view the Design News webinar "Semiconductors for Advanced Vehicles" by clicking on the link here.
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