A consortium of prominent Japanese companies, including Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Subaru, Panasonic, and several others, has formed the “Advanced SoC Research for Automotive” (ASRA) to collaboratively advance the development of high-performance semiconductors (SoC) for vehicles.
Established earlier this month, ASRA comprises twelve companies, spanning the automotive, electrical component, and semiconductor sectors. The consortium’s primary objective is the joint research and development of in-vehicle chips, with the ambitious goal of introducing these advanced SoCs into mass-produced vehicles by 2030.
In the evolving landscape of digitally connected electric vehicles, software plays a pivotal role, with SoCs serving as the backbone for various functionalities, including infotainment and autonomous driving capabilities. Recognizing the increasing significance of technology, especially with over 1,000 semiconductors utilized in modern vehicles, ASRA seeks to address these demands.
ASRA’s approach includes the development of SoCs employing chiplet technology and various semiconductor types. Chiplets, smaller chips assembled to create larger ones, are anticipated to reduce development time and costs while enhancing overall performance.
The collaborative research initiative is set to engage with industry stakeholders, governmental bodies, and additional partners to propel technological advancements in this domain.
Key members of ASRA include major automakers such as Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, and Subaru. Additionally, the consortium features electrical component manufacturers Denso and Panasonic, along with semiconductor companies Cadence Design Systems, Japan, Mirise tech corp, Renesas Electronics corp, Socionext inc., and Synopsys Japan.
Heading the ASRA is Keiji Yamoto, a senior fellow at Toyota Motor, while Nobuaki Kawahara, senior advisor at Denso, will assume the role of executive director, guiding the collaborative efforts of this diverse assembly of industry leaders.
