Global IDMs have been actively exploring advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) ICs despite limited business opportunities in the autonomous driving market currently due to government regulations and long development time of related products.

Major IDMs NXP, Texas Instruments (TI), STMicroelectronics, Infineon and Renesas continue to lead in the development of ADAS ICs, while IC manufacturers and designers Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm are placing a strong focus on developing ADAS algorithms. Taiwan-based tech companies including MediaTek, Sunplus Technology, Realtek and PixArt have joined the race as well.

Yariv Raveh, manager of TI millimeter-wave radar business unit, pointed out that ADAS requires a large number of ICs and can therefore generate significant business opportunities. He said there is a lot of room for growth for ADAS ICs as more sensors and higher communication and processing speeds will be needed to upgrade ADAS.

Due to legal restrictions, the development of ADAS technologies has not been smooth in the last few years. Sources in the supply chain suggested that ADAS modules would only be adopted by high-end cars if their cost remains high.

Although global tech firms have continued to develop technologies for L3+ autonomous vehicles, the hot trend in ADAS right now is L2+, which offers some advances over the current L2 but comes with less safety concerns than L3. By focusing on L2+ technology, IC companies can expect greater shipments and introduce new products in a shorter period of time.

By DIGITIMES