China's leading power semiconductor IDMs are making headlines as industry pressures mount: Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics has postponed two major projects, while Beijing Century Goldray Semiconductor, a former pioneer in SiC technology, has entered bankruptcy proceedings.
Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly disbanded its Semiconductor Strategy Group (the Group), a key division tasked with driving the company's in-house development of automotive semiconductors to reduce reliance on external suppliers. Its functions and personnel are being reassigned to other departments as part of a broader restructuring.
Japan-based Denso announced a strategic collaboration with Onsemi, aimed at advancing semiconductor technology vital for autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). As part of the partnership, Denso plans to acquire a stake in Onsemi, but the exact financial details are undisclosed.
Multiple delays in the production of Nvidia's flagship Thor smart driving chip have forced XPeng to reconsider its adoption for 2025 vehicle models. Wallstreetcn reports indicate that the setbacks are raising concerns about Nvidia losing key automaker partners.
Amid shifting dynamics in the power semiconductor market, Onsemi is leveraging China as a key growth driver for its dual focus on automotive electrification and AI data centers. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the company is laying the groundwork for long-term growth.
Japan-based Rohm Semiconductor and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) have announced a strategic partnership to advance the development and mass production of gallium nitride (GaN) power devices for electric vehicle (EV) applications. The collaboration combines Rohm's expertise in device development with TSMC's GaN-on-silicon process technology to address the growing demand for high-performance power solutions in the automotive sector.
Ams Osram saw automotive electronics account for more than 50% of overall revenue this year and expects the market to enjoy promising growth in 2025, driven by the increasing adoption of new automotive technologies.
China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, spurred by US restrictions, is yielding dual-use technological advances that span both civilian and defense sectors. Several key developments highlight this trend.
Major semiconductor manufacturers are maintaining their long-term optimistic outlook on automotive and industrial control chips, driven by continuing technological innovation. However, there is significant disagreement about the timeline for market recovery.
Two years ago, NXP and Inventec announced their strategic alliance in the automotive electronics sector. They have further revealed plans to establish an automotive ultra-wideband (UWB) laboratory in Taiwan, focusing on R&D for applications beyond car keys.
Innolux Corporation's mass production of fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) has been postponed to the first half of 2025, as shifting demand and complex verification processes impede progress. Chairman and CEO Jin-Yang Hung stressed the need for Taiwan's manufacturing industry to embrace cross-domain applications and innovation to redefine its value chain role.
Chinese semiconductor exports are projected to exceed CNY1 trillion (US$30.8 billion) in 2024, having already reached CNY931.17 billion in the first 10 months of the year.
NXP Semiconductors maintains an optimistic outlook for the electric vehicle market, emphasizing that new entrants in the automotive manufacturing industry are driving market expansion through rapid innovation.
Macroblock, a leading LED driver IC manufacturer, has successfully entered China's electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in 2024. With its automotive product line steadily advancing, the company anticipates 2025 as a breakout year, marking a significant revenue increase.
Following the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) addition of over 100 Chinese companies to its entity list, China's four major associations for automobiles, internet, semiconductors, and communications have called upon Chinese businesses to exercise caution when using American chips and to speed up domestic production. The US Department of Commerce's move aims to limit these companies' artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technology development.
With China maintaining its position as the largest electric vehicle (EV) market globally, the semiconductor supply chain is intensifying its focus on the region. Industry leaders are actively collaborating with Chinese automakers to advance BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) process manufacturing, seeking to enhance chip efficiency and integration capabilities.
The potential of AI in advancing smart manufacturing has been widely recognized, but deaths and injuries involving robots at factories have called attention to functional safety, of which semiconductor chips play a crucial part, according to industry sources.
Major integrated device manufacturers (IDM) are pessimistic about automotive chip prospects in 2025, with Taiwan-based power semiconductor firms taking cautious stances on the European and US markets. However, Taiwanese firms are still hoping to cut into niche markets to weather challenging market conditions.
The automotive industry is experiencing a significant transformation with the rise of electrification and connectivity. Despite this shift, the ecosystem is still in the process of maturing. The automotive semiconductor industry continues to be largely controlled by well-established suppliers from Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea, even as companies like Tesla and emerging Chinese players make their mark.
International integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) have begun offering automotive-grade chips specifically designed for the China market in 2024, responding to mounting cost pressures in the Chinese automotive sector, according to industry sources.
Tesla's Model 3 has hit a roadblock in Germany's prestigious TÜV safety rankings, while Honda's Jazz demonstrates exceptional reliability in the latest assessment. The 2025 TÜV report, analyzing over 10.2 million vehicle inspections across 228 models between mid-2023 and mid-2024, reveals significant challenges for the American EV maker.
During a recent investor conference in New York, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon emphasized that since 2021, the company has been actively expanding beyond mobile phones. The company's aggressive execution over the past few years has yielded significant results, a strategy that will continue moving forward.
Onsemi's leadership has been increasing its presence in China recently. After Felicity Carson, SVP of global operations at Onsemi, attended PCIM Asia 2024 in Shenzhen at the end of August 2024, company president and CEO Hassane El-Khoury made a subsequent visit to Shanghai to meet with local media.
Mitsubishi Electric is ramping up its power semiconductor production in Japan to meet the surging demand fueled by the EV revolution and global climate change initiatives.
