Opportunities & Solutions in Transportation Megatrends - eMobility & ADAS
The automobile industry is undergoing a period of unprecedented change, driven by advancements in technology, with six major trends emerging – connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing, electrification, personalisation, and sustainability. This industry transformation is enabled by and, at the same time, is contributing to, a rapid growth in automotive software and electronics, with some analysts forecasting a global market value of US$ 462 Billion by 2030, a CAGR of 5.5 percent over the period 2019 to 2030 [1].
Strong growth is forecast across all segments of the auto-electronics market
This overall market can be segmented by key automotive subsystems, such as advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), infotainment systems, connectivity, advanced sensors, and electric motor drives. Strong growth is forecast in all these areas, creating multiple opportunities for new and existing manufacturers. In such a fast-paced industry, speed to market is crucial, and system developers rely heavily on flexible and responsive supply chains. Rapid access to quality components, which meet all relevant standards is a minimum requirement, but real value-add comes from ecosystem players who can form true partnerships with their customers. Comprehensive product portfolios must be supplemented by supporting tools, including development environments, reference designs and pre-certified modules. Suppliers must also have the capabilities required to help their customers optimize costs and accelerate development cycles.
Microchip, a leading player in the automotive industry
With a 25-year proven track record in delivering embedded solutions to global automotive OEMs, Microchip has established itself as a global leader in the supply of the technologies which are enabling the dynamic automotive market. With US$ 8.4 billion in revenues, (FY2023), and over 21,000 employees globally, Microchip has the resources and expertise to help our customers develop market-leading solutions. In this article we describe some of the core technologies enabling the transformation of the automotive industry while highlighting how Microchip’s capabilities enable our customers to optimise the development of these technologies.
Automotive Architectures are Continuously Evolving
Onboard automotive architectures have evolved considerably since electronics were first introduced into vehicles in the 1970s. Factors including emissions regulations, safety concerns, driver convenience and consumer expectations have fueled relentless development, and the industry has enthusiastically embraced digitalization.
This evolution has created the need for more intelligent vehicles. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, (ADAS), process information from an onboard array of imaging and sensor platforms. Powertrains are also becoming more sophisticated, particularly in EVs and hybrids, where energy storage, regeneration, charging and dual propulsion sources must be controlled. Electrification also extends beyond the power train into cockpit features such as power windows, doors, seats, digital displays. This increase in sophistication and intelligence of vehicles is driving demand for automotive Microcontroller units, (MCUs). According to Yole Research, an international market analyst, the automotive sector is the largest segment of the global MCU market, with an estimated 32% share in 2022. With this market projected to grow from US$ 50.58 billion in 2023 to US$ 100.15 billion by 2030, a CAGR of 10.3% [2] significant opportunities exist for MPU-based solutions.
ADAS is among the fastest-growth areas
The market for ADAS systems which assist drivers with a range of functions, from collision avoidance and automatic parking to adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings, is also buoyant. Grand View Research, a market research and consulting company, predicts that the global ADAS market, valued at US$ 12.9 billion in 2021, will experience a CAGR of 18.2% from 2022 to 2030.
This market in turn creates a knock-on demand for other technologies such as displays and capacitive, touch sensors. Capacitive sensors are used in a variety of ways to improve the user interfaces within the car, including in touchscreen controls and systems which can recognize driver behavior, including gesture recognition. Capacitive touch technology is now beginning to replace mechanical controls, and, Mordor Intelligence, a market intelligence and advisory firm, reports that the automotive industry is responsible for a surge in demand for capacitive sensors. Estimated at US$ 29.86 Billion in 2023, the market for this technology is expected to reach US$ 39.97 Billion by 2028, a CAGR of 4.92%. [3]
Electric Motors are omnipresent in the modern vehicle
Unsurprisingly, the trend towards vehicle electrification is driving demand for electric motors and motor drive systems. Auto manufacturers prefer brushless direct current (BLDC) motors because of their low maintenance requirements, higher efficiencies, high operating speeds, and fast response times. Electric motors are not limited to the drive train, however, the average car contains 40 motors, rising to over 100 in high-end models, powering features including motorized seats, adjustable mirrors, sunroof systems and many more, figure 2.
The global BLDC market is consequently experiencing tremendous growth, with a forecast CAGR of 6.5% to 2030, from its estimated 2002 value of US$ 18.825 million.
Safety is Paramount
As modern vehicles become increasingly dependent upon electronics technologies, to support the driver and also to assume responsibility for critical tasks, risks from systematic and random hardware failures of these systems pose serious threats to safety. ISO 26262 is the functional safety standard governing the automotive industry and provides guidance on risk mitigation, providing a framework for developers of safety-related automotive systems. The ISO 26262 functional safety standard was first released in 2011 and followed up by a second edition in 2018, which included part 11, applicable to semiconductors. The next release of ISO 26262 is scheduled for 2024/2025.
Figure 1: The average car uses around 40 BLDC motors (Image source: Microchip)
Figure 2: Microchip’s vast automotive product array spans most business units (Image source: Microchip)
Manufacturers of automotive systems have a significant responsibility, not just to ensure that their solutions function as intended, but also to make sure that they meet all relevant safety requirements. Choosing qualified components is therefore a critical step in the development process and in the next section we discuss Microchip’s credentials as a quality supplier and also examine a selection of our key technologies.
Microchips portfolio enables safe automotive design
Microchip’s reputation as a trusted supplier of embedded control solutions to the automotive industry has been built on our history of supplying products and processes engineered to support the rigorous requirements of our customers.
Our vast array of automotive-grade products includes analogue, connectivity, memory, microcontrollers (MCUs), security, timing and touch and spans most of our business units, figure 3.
A top global supplier of MPUs
As one of the top 5 suppliers of MPUs globally, the breadth of Microchip’s portfolio of automotive-grade microcontrollers (MCUs) and microprocessors (MPUs) is unmatched in the industry. There is no one-size-fits-all MPU, applications range from high performance multi-core 32-bit processors powering ADAS, HMI and Infotainment functions to 8-bit devices at the “front-end”, where low power consumption is key and sleep modes are mandatory. Our AEC-Q100-qualified 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit MCUs, Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) and MPUs, figure 4, can be found in embedded control systems throughout the entire vehicle. These devices offer robust functional safety features to aid in the development of safety-critical applications, while our AEC-Q100 Grade 0 qualified devices simplify the creation of high-temperature (150oC) underhood applications.
We also provide supporting tools to enable our customers to get their designs up and running quickly, with an MCAL driver software, developed in accordance with Automotive SPICE® to enable AUTOSAR compliance, along with a complete ecosystem of software libraries, reference designs, development, and configuration tools.
Figure 3: Microchips comprehensive MPU portfolio is unmatched (Image source: Microchip)
Figure 4: Microchip leads the way in Touch (Image source: Microchip)
Leading the way in Touch
As a leader in capacitive touch, Microchip has a comprehensive portfolio of capacitive touch solutions enabling the creation of buttons, sliders, wheels, Hands-on-Detectors, (HOD) and steering wheel touchpads, figure 5.
Our maXTouch Touchscreen controllers are ready-to-go solutions offering a common architecture and support screen sizes up to 45”. These automotive grade controllers are unmatched in the industry, the first to offer ASIL-B support and are underpinned by our long-term supply policy and dual source strategy. The revolutionary maXTouch ® KoD controller enables capacitive rotary encoders, also called rotary knobs, to be mounted over a touch panel, combining the elegance and flexibility of a touch display with the comfort and safety of a control knob. This innovative device works on standard touch sensor patterns, requires no firmware customisation, and is totally configurable in terms of knob count, sizes, and positions.
A comprehensive range of motor drive solutions
BLDCs require efficient motor drives to control their speed and torque and developers have the choice of implementing these drives using either discrete components or modules. Our dsPIC33CDVL64MC106 integrated motor driver, figure 6, combines a digital signal controller (DSC) with a full-bridge MOSFET gate driver designed for 3-phase BLDC motor control and a LIN transceiver for automotive communications.
The module targets automotive applications such cooling fans, gas, oil and water pumps, compressors, valves, actuators, and turbo chargers and is designed to run Field Oriented Control, providing the maximum energy efficiency and the lowest system cost. We also provide motor control software libraries and example applications that can be used with our microcontrollers (MCUs) and Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) to accelerate design cycles and reduce development times.
Microchip also offers a comprehensive SiC portfolio, spanning 700V – 3.3 kV and encompassing die, discretes, modules and gate drivers, all auto-qualified to AEC-Q101. The portfolio includes a full range of SiC MOSFETs, SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes and its breadth enables our customers to easily adopt SiC technology at the lowest system cost.
Figure 5: The dsPIC33CDV module simplifies motor control implementation
Let Microchip help you navigate the turbulent automotive market
The automotive electronics market is evolving rapidly, generating multiple opportunities for existing players and new entrants alike. In this volatile environment speed to market is key but, at the same time, safety is critical, and manufacturers must ensure that their designs meet all relevant standards. As a long-term supplier to the industry with over 25 years-experience, Microchip is the ideal partner, with a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, backed by industry-leading expertise and support capabilities.
[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/mapping-the-automotive-software-and-electronics-landscape-through-2030
[2] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/microprocessor-market-108504
[3] https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/capacitive-sensors-market
