Leading automotive manufacturers establish ASRA to develop SoC for automobiles

Leading automotive manufacturers establish ASRA to develop SoC for automobiles.

December 28, 2023 – On December 1st, twelve companies from the automotive, electrical component, and semiconductor industries formed the “Advanced SoC Research for Automotive” (ASRA) to conduct research and development of high-performance digital semiconductors (System on Chip, SoC) for use in automobiles. ASRA will research and develop SoCs for automobiles using chiplet technology, with the goal of installing SoCs in mass-production vehicles starting in 2030.

Participating Companies

Automotive Manufacturers:

• Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation,
• Nissan Motor Corporation, SUBARU Corporation,
• Toyota Motor Corporation

Electrical Component Manufacturers

• DENSO CORPORATION,
• Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.

Semiconductor Companies:

• Cadence Design Systems, Japan,
• MIRISE Technologies Corporation,
• Renesas Electronics Corporation,
• Socionext Inc., Synopsys Japan

Each automobile contains approximately 1,000 semiconductors, the types of which vary depending on the application. SoCs are important semiconductors for autonomous driving technology and multimedia systems in automobiles, which require cutting-edge semiconductor technology to achieve advanced computing power.

ASRA

ASRA will pursue the high level of safety and reliability required for automobiles by having automakers play a central role. Also, by bringing together the technological and experiential knowledge of electrical components and semiconductor companies, ASRA will aim to apply cutting-edge technologies practically. Specifically, ASRA plans to research and develop SoCs for automobiles using chiplet technology and combining different semiconductor types.

Advantages of Chiplet Technology

• Higher performance and multifunctionality
• Higher yield chips
• Timely commercialization of SoCs with functions and performance optimized for end-user (automotive companies) requirements

ASRA plans to implement in-vehicle chiplet technology by 2028 and SoCs in mass-produced vehicles beginning in 2030. ASRA will promote domestic and international collaboration as a world-leading technology research group by combining Japan’s technological capabilities and experience in automotive, electrical components, and semiconductors.

Outline of Advanced SoC Research for Automotive