Connected Car News: Wolfspeed, Infineon, VicOne, Pirelli, Bosch, Mojo Vision, CY Vision, Geotab, Kia, Toyoda & Magna

In connected car news are Magna, Wolfspeed, Infineon, VicOne, Pirelli, Bosch, Mojo Vision, CY Vision, Geotab, Kia, Toyoda & Magna.

Magna New Automotive MOSFETs

Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation (“Magnachip” or “Company”) (NYSE: MX) announced the release of four new 40V ¹⁾MXT MV MOSFETs designed in Power Dual Flat No-Lead (PDFN) 33 packages for automotive applications.

As automotive technologies like autonomous driving and infotainment systems advance, the number and variety of motors installed in vehicles are increasing. Consequently, there is a growing importance for high-performance MOSFETs that offer low power consumption, compact size, and lightweight construction to efficiently drive these motors.

Magnachip’s newly launched 40V MXT MV MOSFETs come in PDFN33, reducing the area by more than 60% and the weight by approximately 75% as compared to 40V MOSFET products packaged in PDFN56. This makes them even more suitable for automotive motors and low-power control systems, where performance, fuel efficiency, and space flexibility are crucial.

Among these new products, three models—AMDV040N029LVRH, AMDV040N036LVRH, and AMDV040N042LVRH—are distinguished by their low gate threshold voltage of 1.8V. The gate threshold voltage determines the point at which the MOSFET switches from an off-state to an on-state. A lower threshold voltage reduces the energy required to operate the MOSFET, thereby decreasing the overall power consumption of the system.

The key specifications of the four new automotive 40V MXT MV MOSFETs are as follows:

Magnachip’s New Automotive 40V MXT MV MOSFETs

“With the launch of these new products, Magnachip has further strengthened its automotive power product lineup, which is designed to satisfy the diverse demands of the automotive components industry,” said YJ Kim, CEO of Magnachip. “We will continue to expand our global presence in this evolving market through technological innovation and stable product supply.”

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¹⁾ MXT MV MOSFET (Magnachip eXtreme Trench Medium Voltage MOSFET): Magnachip’s cutting-edge product portfolio of 40~200V trench MOSFETs.
²⁾ R_DS(ON)：the resistance between the drain and the source of MOSFETs during on-state operation.

Wolfspeed 2300V Baseplate-less Silicon Carbide Power Mods

Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), the global leader in silicon carbide technology, unveiled a silicon carbide module designed to transform the renewable energy, energy storage, and high-capacity fast-charging sectors through improved efficiency, durability, reliability, and scalability. The 2300V baseplate-less silicon carbide power modules for 1500V DC Bus applications were developed and launched utilizing Wolfspeed’s state-of-the-art 200mm silicon carbide wafers.

Wolfspeed also announced today that it is partnering with EPC Power, a premier North American utility-scale inverter manufacturer. EPC Power will be employing the Wolfspeed^® modules in utility-grade solar and energy storage systems, which offer a scalable high-power conversion system and high-performance controls and system redundancy.

“The solar and energy storage market remains among the fastest-growing segments of the renewable energy industry. As the pioneers of silicon carbide, we are driven to create solutions that will open the door to a new era of modern energy,” said Jay Cameron, Wolfspeed Senior Vice President and General Manager, Power. “Energy efficiency, reliability, and scalability are top of mind for our customers, such as EPC Power, who recognize the substantial advantages Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide brings to the table.”

“Silicon carbide devices open the door to a step-change in inverter performance and reliability. With our commitment to extreme reliability, performance, and security in our new ‘M’ inverter while also forging a deep commercial relationship with key suppliers, Wolfspeed was the obvious choice,” said Devin Dilley, President and Chief Product Officer, EPC Power.

With mounting global investment in renewable energy, the solar energy market is estimated to reach a $300 billion market capitalization by 2032.¹ According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2024-25 will see the highest energy demand growth rate since 2007, reinforcing the need for efficient and reliable clean power.² Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide solution helps bridge this crucial gap, supporting the next era of modern energy technologies while reinforcing U.S. clean energy manufacturing leadership.

Cameron continued, “This platform further validates our investments in 200mm wafer technology and production as the potential of silicon carbide continues to be recognized by industry leaders across all mission-critical applications.”

Infineon Tech 300mm GaN

Infineon Technologies AG announced that the company has succeeded in developing the world’s first 300 mm power gallium nitride (GaN) wafer technology. Infineon is the first company in the world to master this groundbreaking technology in an existing and scalable high-volume manufacturing environment. The breakthrough will help substantially drive the market for GaN-based power semiconductors. Chip production on 300 mm wafers is technologically more advanced and significantly more efficient compared to 200 mm wafers, since the bigger wafer diameter offers 2.3 times more chips per wafer.

GaN-based power semiconductors find fast adoption in industrial, automotive, and consumer, computing & communication applications, including power supplies for AI systems, solar inverters, chargers and adapters, and motor-control systems. State-of-the art GaN manufacturing processes lead to improved device performance resulting in benefits in end customers’ applications as it enables efficiency performance, smaller size, lighter weight, and lower overall cost. Furthermore, 300 mm manufacturing ensures superior customer supply stability through scalability.

“This remarkable success is the result of our innovative strength and the dedicated work of our global team to demonstrate our position as the innovation leader in GaN and power systems,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG. “The technological breakthrough will be an industry game-changer and enable us to unlock the full potential of gallium nitride. Nearly one year after the acquisition of GaN Systems, we are demonstrating again that we are determined to be a leader in the fast-growing GaN market. As a leader in power systems, Infineon is mastering all three relevant materials: silicon, silicon carbide and gallium nitride.”

Infineon has succeeded in manufacturing 300 mm GaN wafers on an integrated pilot line in existing 300 mm silicon production in its power fab in Villach (Austria). The company is leveraging well-established competence in the existing production of 300 mm silicon and 200 mm GaN. Infineon will further scale GaN capacity aligned with market needs. 300 mm GaN manufacturing will put Infineon in a position to shape the growing GaN market which is estimated to reach several billion US-Dollars by the end of the decade.

This pioneering technological success underlines Infineon’s position as a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Infineon is implementing 300 mm GaN to strengthen existing and enabling new solutions and application fields with an increasingly cost-effective value proposition and the ability to address the full range of customer systems. Infineon will present the first 300 mm GaN wafers to the public at the electronica trade show in November 2024 in Munich.

A significant advantage of 300 mm GaN technology is that it can utilize existing 300 mm silicon manufacturing equipment, since gallium nitride and silicon are very similar in manufacturing processes. Infineon’s existing high-volume silicon 300 mm production lines are ideal to pilot reliable GaN technology, allowing accelerated implementation and efficient use of capital. Fully scaled 300 mm GaN production will contribute to GaN cost parity with silicon on R _DS(on) level, which means cost parity for comparable Si and GaN products.

300 mm GaN is another milestone in Infineon’s strategic innovation leadership and supports Infineon’s mission of decarbonization and digitalization.

UD Trucks Selects VicOne

-VicOne, an automotive cybersecurity solutions leader, announced that UD Trucks has selected the xNexus next-generation vehicle security operations center (VSOC) platform to take advantage of contextualized security risk insights.

UD Trucks is a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider active in more than 60 countries, and it is a proud member of the Isuzu Group, one of the world’s top 10 truck manufacturers. The VicOne solution helps UD Trucks identify risks earlier, and better meet its regulatory requirements, such as compliance with United Nations Regulation No. 155 (UN R155):

• Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regards to cyber security and cyber security management system
• Requiring the presence of a cybersecurity management system (CSMS) in vehicles, and ensuring that cybersecurity practices and measures are adequately applied across the development process and lifecycle of vehicles

“VicOne’s solution delivers the exclusive contextualized insights that we need—accurate and actionable. We hope that xNexus will empower us to identify unknown risks early and provide our design teams with precise recommendations,” said Ryota Kawano, the manager of ERM (enterprise risk management) Cybersecurity with UD Trucks. “VicOne’s uniquely flexible and cost-effective solution strengthens our product security, giving us the confidence to keep innovating. Unlike other vendors with overly complicated and inflexible luxury offerings, VicOne crafts customized strategies that enhance our economic viability and integrate seamlessly with our existing operations. Plus, we have been very satisfied with the local service that VicOne provides.”

Since the company’s inception in 1935, UD Trucks has been an innovation leader with a clear vision to provide the trucks and services that the world needs. UD Trucks “Fujin & Raijin Vision 2030” innovation roadmap details the company’s aim to deliver a variety of solutions for smart logistics, including fully electric and autonomous trucks by 2030.

According to the IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2024 report¹, sales of electric trucks increased 35% in 2023 compared to 2022. In Europe and the United States, electric truck sales increased almost threefold in 2023.

VicOne’s xNexus leverages a unique Large Language Modeling (LLM) approach to continually provide UD Trucks’ product security incident response team (PSIRT) with actionable and contextualized attack intelligence. VicOne’s industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) and curated insights accelerate UD Trucks’ threat investigations, fuel more confident and effective response to attacks and slash the burden of chasing inexplicable false alarms.

Pirelli & Bosch Partner for Development

Pirelli and Bosch have signed a joint development agreement. It aims at jointly creating new software-based solutions and driving functions thanks to sensors integrated into tires, also known as in-tire sensors. For drivers, this means greater control, comfort, and sustainability, as well as improved driving dynamics. Bosch and Pirelli share the vision of working long term and have the intention to explore together enhanced tire signal computing logic as potential input for enhanced vehicle dynamic controllers.

Pirelli Cyber Tyre is the world’s first system based on tires with integrated sensors that collect data and transmit it to the vehicle to be processed in real time. Bosch has already developed an ESP application specifically adapted to Pirelli tires in an initial joint project with the hypercar manufacturer Pagani Automobili. The “Pirelli Cyber Tyre” technology on the Pagani Utopia Roadster transmits key tire information to the ESP c

Mojo Vision  & CY Vision Micro-LED HUDs

–Mojo Vision, the high-performance micro-LED company, today announced a partnership with CY Vision, a next-gen heads-up display (HUD) technology company, to develop HUDs built with micro-LED technology that incorporate augmented-reality (AR) into automobiles. These HUDs will leverage AI and 3D imaging to provide drivers with an immersive and personalized driving experience with informative, line-of-sight overlays that promote driver safety and provide essential information.

Both automakers and consumers can benefit from AR HUDs, as a next-gen driving experience can be a major factor for consumers in the car buying process. HUDs have the ability to keep drivers’ eyes and focus on the road by visualizing information in the direct field of view — addressing a significant concern for today’s drivers as an estimated 25% of automotive accidents are caused by distracted driving.

HUD Capabilities for Enhanced Driving Experience

CY Vision HUDs provide the largest field of view and high-resolution images with 3D and AR capabilities. With up to 20-50 times more light efficiency than conventional systems, super high brightness, exceptional contrast and resolution, the images clearly and conveniently display important information to the user. Additionally, CY Vision HUDs eliminate existing image degradation such as sunlight reflection and color distortion. These improvements are critical to the successful implementation and adoption of AR HUDs.

“The automotive industry is always looking for advancements in user experience, design and safety,” said Sandeep Ohri, CEO of CY Vision. “AR HUDs have the opportunity to be the next big advancement in automotive technology, and the core total addressable market for HUDs is estimated to reach over $10B by 2034. We’re excited to add cutting-edge micro-LED to our existing solutions, expanding our offerings and serving our customers’ needs.”

Manufacturing Benefits of Micro-LEDs

In order for auto manufacturers to increase the integration of HUDs in the next generation of cars, the displays need to exceed manufacturer’s standards and guidelines. By mixing cutting-edge display technology with established semiconductor processes, micro-LED technology provides a cost and energy effective opportunity to advance the development and implementation of high-performance HUDs.

The small size of Mojo Vision micro-LEDs will help CY Vision design HUDs that integrate more seamlessly with the car’s existing layout. As auto manufacturers continue to add more high-tech features to cars, managing energy consumption is critical. Mojo’s display technology is 5-10x more efficient than LED-illuminated LCD displays, providing a more energy-efficient component. Mojo’s micro-LED technology will also help enable CY Vision’s HUDs to adapt to different sized windshields through software, and to not require luxury optical elements or films, creating notable cost savings.

“Automotive HUDs showcase micro-LED’s adaptability for being a superior display technology in multiple form factors,” said Nikhil Balram, CEO of Mojo Vision. “Micro-LEDs provide high performance without being obtrusive to structure and design. HUDs that will redefine the marketplace will require top-end resolution and quality, all of which micro-LED can provide at a cost-effective price point and low energy consumption.”

“For Mojo’s micro-LEDs, auto HUDs with CY Vision will be a significant advancement towards widespread commercialization of this type of display technology,” said Dr. Achin Bhowmik, former President of Society for Information Display (SID) and Mojo Board of Directors member. “Automotive HUDs are the perfect use case for micro-LED technology as HUDs will significantly benefit from the size, energy use and display capabilities that micro-LEDs have to offer, and will show the versatility and value of micro-LEDs in the display landscape. Technologies that combine safety and enhanced experience are extremely important, and micro-LEDs will enable HUDs to reach their full potential.”

Geotab & Kia MOU Partnership

– Geotab Inc. (Geotab), Kia Corporation (Kia), and 42dot have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), initiating a global connected vehicle partnership. This strategic collaboration will integrate advanced data solutions with enhanced in-vehicle technology to deliver innovative systems that support safety, sustainability, and efficiency for fleets worldwide.

This partnership builds upon Kia’s PBV business strategy – to offer software solutions seamlessly integrated with the vehicle, with FMS (Fleet Management System) as the core differentiating factor. Geotab and 42dot, Hyundai Motor Group’s Global Software Center and fleet management system (FMS) provider, will collaborate to develop an AI-driven FMS, enabling Kia fleet customers to utilize advanced data insights.

Platform Science Acquires Trimble

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) and Platform Science announced today they are partnering to transform the transportation industry through a definitive agreement for Platform Science to acquire Trimble’s global transportation telematics business units. As part of this agreement, Trimble will become a shareholder in Platform Science’s expanded business.

The proposed transaction aims to enhance driver experience, fleet safety, efficiency, and compliance by combining two cutting-edge in-cab commercial vehicle ecosystems, which will give customers access to more applications and offerings. Upon closing of the proposed transaction, Trimble’s global transportation telematics customers will continue to enjoy the benefits of their Trimble solutions, with the added flexibility of the Virtual Vehicle platform from Platform Science. Virtual Vehicle-enabled fleets will receive access to the Virtual Vehicle Marketplace, offering hundreds of new and expanded applications, software and solution providers focused on innovating and improving drivers’ quality of life and fleet performance. Platform Science customers will enjoy the added choice of Trimble’s remaining portfolio of transportation solutions which will be available on the Virtual Vehicle platform.

Toyoda In Vehicle Sound Sealing

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:7282) has developed a new system that enables automotive developers to experience changes in vehicle interior sounds with different combinations of the sealing parts (weatherstrips) installed on those vehicles. This contributes to the creation of more comfortable moving spaces through improved quietness in cabin.

The electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles that are coming into wider use are quieter than traditional vehicles since they are driven by motors and have no engine noise. This means that more wind noise and road noise reach the ear, and demands better sound insulation parts. To meet these needs, Toyoda Gosei has been developing high performance sealing parts.

The company’s new system makes it possible, in the design concept stage before deciding the shape of parts for new models, to hear driving sounds with sealing parts under development installed. This will lead to proposals for the best combination of sealing parts for the creation of quieter cabin space. It also helps to minimize the design changes in parts that have traditionally occurred following performance assessments of prototype vehicles, which is promising for the reduction of development worker-hours.

This system was achieved with the assessment technology using actual measurements of sound that Toyoda Gosei has cultivated up to this time. The company is planning to further raise the predictive accuracy of the new system by combining machine learning with artificial intelligence, to predict and reproduce how sound will be heard even before part prototypes are made. By proposing parts that raise quietness in the early stages of vehicle development, Toyoda Gosei aims to contribute to quieter and more comfortable mobility in society.