TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp and 11 other companies have set up an alliance to research and develop high-performance digital semiconductors (System on Chip or SoC) for cars.
Other members of Advanced SoC Research for Automotive (ASRA) are automakers Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Subaru; electrical component manufacturers Denso and Panasonic Automotive Systems, as well as semiconductor companies Cadence Design Systems, Japan, MIRISE Technologies, Renesas Electronics, Socionext and Synopsys Japan.
ASRA will research and develop SoCs using chiplet technology, for installation in mass-production vehicles from 2030 onward.
In a statement, ASRA said about 1,000 semiconductors are used in each automobile, and the types vary depending on the application.
Among them, SoCs are semiconductors for autonomous driving technology and multimedia systems in automobiles.
Advantages of chiplet technology are:
(1) Higher performance and multifunctionality
(2) Higher yield chips
(3) Timely commercialization of SoCs with functions and performance optimized for end-user (automotive companies) requirements
ASRA aims to establish in-vehicle chiplet technology by 2028.
By combining Japan's technological capabilities and experience in automotive, electrical components, and semiconductors, ASRA will work with industry, government, and academia to promote domestic and international collaboration as a world-leading technology research group.
