The Hindu Business Line : Auto sector chips in

The semiconductor and microprocessor consumption in the automotive industry is growing significantly, says Sanjeev Keskar, Country Manager-Sales, Freescale Semiconductor. And demand for automotive electronics is poised to grow from a $15-billion market in 2005 to $25 billion by 2013.

Electronics now accounts for about $220 in a car and this is expected to go up to about $450 by 2015. New areas, such as safety, including airbags, and tyre pressure control through microprocessors are coming up, he says. Mercs and BMWs already have 50-plus microcontrollers. Kesker shares more in a chat with eWorld. Excerpts:

What are the innovations in store, from the automotive user perspective?

Frost & Sullivan estimates that passenger vehicles sales will grow at a CAGR of 14.9 per cent over 2005-06 to 2009-10 with sales volume expected to reach 2.1 million by 2010.

Advanced driver assistance systems that improve driver awareness, In-vehicle network systems, power control and infotainment systems have begun to make a difference.

Emerging display technologies are increasingly turning automotive dashboards into sophisticated information and entertainment centres. This includes driver information systems, digital audio, instrument cluster and control of a device with voice commands.

The electronic stability program (ESP) is a further enhancement to the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traction control system (TCS). When the ESP detects a difference between the driver’s control inputs and the actual response of the vehicle, the system intervenes by applying the brake to the appropriate wheels to correct the path of the vehicle. This automatic reaction is engineered for improved vehicle stability, particularly during severe cornering and on low-friction road surfaces, by helping to reduce over-steering and under-steering.

Freescale and the Indian automotive market…

In the automotive sector, over 7 million two wheelers and 1.3 million four wheelers are produced in India. Freescale’s transportation and standard products (TSPG) group is focused on semiconductor and embedded solutions for the automotive sector.

Our microcontrollers are used in typical Indian automotive requirements such as wiper controls and power windows lifts, to mention a few. We also design and manufacture sensors, access and remote control transmitters and receivers for applications such as keyless entry.

We are working with auto components suppliers who manufacture systems for exports. The two-wheeler market is a great opportunity. Today, Bajaj uses Freescale’s electronic ignition control, cluster and body electronics in the new motorbikes.

Typically, does not what you innovate get used up two-three years down the line?

India is one of the fastest growing markets globally. The tendency is to think of India as a cost-sensitive market. This perception is changing. We will see increased adoption of power steering, infotainment, GPS and safety systems in four-wheelers and microcontrollers in the two-wheeler segment. The need to move to Euro IV norms will drive the need for auto ICs in India. There is a high level of penetration of 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers in the market.

Thirty-two bit microcontrollers have emerged because of the demand for more performance. With this kind of a trend, semiconductor suppliers are keen to differentiate their products in terms of software and scalability features.

With the cost benefit, the demand for connectivity is propelling the microcontroller market. This is expected to drive the semiconductor suppliers to build feature-rich microcontrollers. Already, 32-bit microcontrollers are finding their way into central body control and advanced safety features.

What are some trends in convergence of technologies in automobiles?

Five primary areas are expected to drive growth in automotive semiconductors in the future. They are: improving fuel efficiency and further reducing emissions, implementing mechatronics, the shift to microcomputer controls, increased personalisation features, such as navigation and communication systems and increasing convenience and comfort features; and supplying the growing demand for vehicles in emerging countries.

Of these, personalisation offers the greatest potential for increasing the number of semiconductors in automotives. Personalisation features, which address safety, navigation, and information gathering and display, have a powerful impact on buyers. New safety technologies, such as collision warning systems, pre-crash sensing and blind spot detection are going to be an increasingly important part of the future.

Could you give us a flavour of some of Freescale’s innovations?

Freescale’s India design team is focused on innovation for all of its three business groups — wireless, networking and transportation and standard products.

One such innovation is the industry’s first 32-bit microcontroller to deliver a USB-On-The-Go and Flash Memory in a single chip solution. Ideal for system-to-system communication applications, it allows two USB devices to communicate without a host interface.

In the wireless and networking groups, Freescale has launched the MPC8313E PowerQUICC II Pro processor with integrated security, which is an ideal platform for digital home networking. We continue to provide the intelligence and connectivity behind several of Motorola’s iconic products such as the RAZR, PEBL, SLVR and KRZR K-1. MXC, a mobile platform for 3G wireless devices, is another accomplishment of the India team.

Advanced infotainment and safety segments seem to be the two big drivers. How is Freescale addressing them?

Microcontrollers are steadily replacing traditional mechanical functions with high reliability components while eliminating cost and weight issues. For instance, a BMW 5-Series with all accessories carries around 95 ECUs (electronic-control units), each of which contains at least one microcontroller. Functions such as braking, steering and suspension will be further developed by implementing advanced electronic systems.

On the power side, we continue to see a significant increase in processing power required. Choosing among 8-, 16-, and 32-bit architecture is no longer a clear-cut issue. Given adequate computing power and the right mix of peripherals for the application, the choice of processor is often reduced to issues such as a designer’s preference for development tools and the level of support that a vendor provides.

But it’s safety first, not performance, as far as customers are concerned. Two key areas being pushed today are tyre pressure monitoring systems and better airbag technology.

vrishi@thehindu.co.in

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