Automotive applications will demand more mixed signal ASICs, firm says

May 6, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO — Demand for mixed signal devices is increasing in the growing $2.4 billion automotive ASIC sector, according to research and consulting firm Strategic Analytics.

In statement issued Thursday (May 5), Strategic Analytics (Boston) predicted that growth in demand for automotive ASICs will be driven by mixed signal applications, as electronic control is increasingly dispersed around vehicles with growth in the use of networks and smart sensors. Both niche and major semiconductor players are finding success with automotive demand, the company said.

Strategy Analytics said its research found that designers frequently use ASICs to optimize cost, performance and time-to-market in specialized functions, beyond that provided by the wide range of catalog ICs and automotive application specific standard products.

"Mixed signal ASIC technology provides greater opportunity for electronics integration, increasing design efficiency for the automotive systems manufacturers," said Simon Schofield, senior analyst with Strategic Analytics' automotive electronics service. "Thus, feature-rich designs can be applied to the increasingly electrified applications with lower cost and improved reliability. Very high-density digital ASICs are emerging which will free designers from the constraints of deploying catalog microprocessors, permitting them to create their own dedicated designs, honed to individual applications."

Strategy Analytics said it also found that the stringent and often specialized requirements of automotive electronic controls are helping small, niche players thrive alongside major semiconductor vendors in the automotive ASIC sector.