Mentor Blogs

The research firm Strategy Analytics predicts that the market for automotive electronics systems will grow from $170 billion in 2011 to $266 billion by 2016 – a compounded average annual growth rate of 9.3%. The firm’s report, “Automotive Electronics System Demand Forecast 2010 to 2019: Growth in Uncertain Times,” describes growth in hybrid and electric vehicle drivetrains, advanced safety systems, … Read More

BRIC countries, powertrain systems, Automotive Electronics, safety systems, Strategy Analytics

Intel recently announced a $100 million Intel Capital Connected Car Investment Fund, an Automotive Innovation and Product Development Center, and the expansion of Intel Labs Interaction and Experience Research (IXR) in automotive, an academic outreach program. All three announcements have to do with in-vehicle infotainment, which has been Intel’s automotive electronics focus for the past five years … Read More

Huizhou ForYou General Electronics, HawTai, Hyundai, Automotive Innovation and Product Development Center, Strategy Analytics, Toyota, C&S Technology, Atom processor, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), GAIG Trumpchi, intel, Gartner, Intel Labs Interaction and Experience Research (IXR) for automotive, connected car, Kia, DENSO

Infineon Technologies notes that higher performance power electronics components contribute to the primary automotive industry goals of better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The firm suggests that power MOSFETs with current capability above 200A and R DS(on) below 1mΩ are needed to reduce conduction losses and improve overall efficiency, but it says that MOSFETs to fulfill these needs have not … Read More

electric power steering, Infineon Technologies, D2PAK (TO-263), Strategy Analytics, JEDEC standard H-PSOF, power MOSFETs

Roger Lanctot, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, has lavish praise for Zypr™, a cloud-based, voice-powered web API (application programming interface) recently launched by Pioneer Corp. “Zypr has the most ambitious connected vehicle vision, ‘mashing up’ multiple social networking resources for a seamlessly integrated connected experience,” Lanctot said. “The product represents the kind of solution … Read More

Strategy Analytics, Slacker Radio, Tuner2 Radio, application programming interface, Yelp, Zypr, Facebook, AccuWeather, Twitter, Pioneer Corp., VoiceBox, Roger Lanctot, Wcitie, Google, xAd, INRIX

The GENIVI Alliance, which is working toward a scalable software architecture for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), recently released an IVI software architecture report based on interviews with automakers, tier one firms, semiconductor suppliers, and service providers, including Alliance member and non-member companies. Relevant IVI architecture suppliers, according to the report, include Microsoft, … Read More

Microltron, MeeGo, Microsoft, Genivi Alliance, Strategy Analytics, Wind River, in-vehicle infotainment, Android, Moblin, Linux, Maemo OS, QNX, Roger Lanctot, IVI

If you weren’t watching as closely as Roger Lanctot was, you may have missed the significance of a recent announcement from telematics systems vendor ATX Group. ATX provided TeleAid services to Mercedes-Benz customers until last fall, when Mercedes switched to Hughes Telematics and launched mbrace. Mercedes wants customers to switch from TeleAid to mbrace, but ATX recently launched a downloadable smartphone … Read More

TeleAid, Strategy Analytics, Hughes Telematics, ATX Group, Mercedes-Benz, Roger Lanctot, iRoute, mbrace

Strategy Analytics announced that Infineon edged Freescale in automotive semiconductor revenues last year to take the number one spot. The research firm said Infineon achieved $1.31 billion in revenues for calendar 2009 compared with $1.16 billion for Freescale, amounting to market shares of 9% and 8% respectively. But Strategy Analytics also said that semiconductor suppliers suffered an average year-on-year … Read More

Freescale, Ian Riches, Chris Webber, Strategy Analytics, Infineon

It may be a cliché to say that so-and-so “wrote the book on” whatever, but with Infineon and power electronics, it’s true. The firm wrote “Fundamentals of Power Semiconductors,” and one of the fundamentals, though not necessarily in the book, is the idea that power components are likely to tip the scale in automotive electronics. “Companies that are dominant in automotive electronics will start to … Read More

Shawn Slusser, powertrain systems, Strategy Analytics, IGBTs, Infineon, hybrid and electric vehicles, zero defects, MOSFETs, power electronics, logic devices, microcontrollers

A thought has occurred to at least two of us, the other being Roger Lanctot, director of business development in the global automotive practice at Strategy Analytics. Last week he wrote “…objections to mobile phones in cars masks a movement opposed to an even wider array of emerging and existing automotive technologies and in-cabin interfaces.” He was referring to a ban on hand-held cell phone use … Read More

tXtBlocker, Strategy Analytics, Voicemate, DriveSafe.ly, Mobile Phones, Auto TxtBak, ZoomSafer, Roger Lanctot, SafeReader, National Safety Council, Oprah Winfrey

The automotive semiconductor market plunged 14% to $16.4 billion in 2009, according to Strategy Analytics, but should see a similar-size recovery – 14% to $18.7 billion – in 2010. According to the research firm, the dramatic fall in global vehicle production, with the exception of three of the four BRIC regions, resulted in the largest-ever fall in automotive semiconductor vendor revenues. The market … Read More

Freescale Semiconductor, Infineon, Databeans, Strategy Analytics, NEC, Renesas