Increased demand for automotive microcontrollers

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IBG - SA Instrumentation & Control Buyers' Guide

January 2008 News

The proliferation of electronic content in automobiles aimed at reducing human error and the growing number of automobile safety features are increasing demand for microcontrollers. Moreover, the introduction of multiplexing in the automotive industry has triggered sales of high performance microcontrollers by amplifying the need for additional processing power and intelligence.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the worldwide market for microcontrollers in automotives earned revenues of US$5,83 billion in 2006 and estimates this to reach $9,52 billion in 2010.

"After a complete industry makeover, the market for automotive microcontrollers expects to experience tremendous growth over the next few years," notes Frost & Sullivan senior research analyst Bonnie Varghese. "This is primarily due to the growth of end-user markets and expanding applications of integrated circuits (ICs) in automobiles."

In addition to the increase in multiplexing, the sales growth for hybrids and electric vehicles will likely benefit the microcontroller market. Overall, increasing automobile sales, especially in the Asian sub continent, drive the microcontrollers market to greater heights.

Moreover, the oil crisis and pollution control have forced power train applications to include stringent methods for controlling emissions and fuel combustion. Since these applications utilise microcontrollers to process information, these environmental and government regulations will spur microcontroller growth. The European region in particular will generate substantial revenues due to early technological acceptance and government regulations.

However, the strong quality requirements and extensive quality certifications required for product introductions pose a challenge for manufacturers across the globe. This adversely affects lower bit microcontroller manufacturers who lose their market shares to higher bit microcontrollers. Lower bit microcontroller manufacturers can however make a comeback by focusing on developing countries with high growth potential.

"Rather than diverting attention to various technologies and protocols, manufacturers can concentrate on fewer technologies which will likely prove more advantageous for marketing and business," notes Varghese. "Automotive microcontroller manufacturers must also deal with matching the performance requirements with cost of the product and increasing the acceptance of the latest architectures to secure substantial market share."

Lastly, automotive manufacturers can increase their revenues by working with semiconductor manufacturers to clearly identify their difficulties. This collaboration helps reduce the gap between the expected solution and the actual solution provided. By improving cooperation, the lead-time for new technology adoption can be drastically reduced due to the higher level of confidence among automotive and semiconductor manufacturers.

For more information contact Patrick Cairns, Frost & Sullivan, +27 (0)21 680 3274, [email protected], www.frost.com

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Increased demand for automotive microcontrollers

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