Making Batteries Denser And Safer


Battery technology is improving swiftly, driven by the rapidly rising demand for electric vehicles and the vast body of knowledge developed by the semiconductor industry. The market for electric vehicles (EVs) is on a fast upward trajectory, with global sales predicted to grow more than 12 times to more than 31 million vehicles. In fact, EVs will account for almost a third of new vehicle sal... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


Automotive & transportation Chip shortages continue to affect automotive production lines and the bottom line of automotive OEMs. Jaguar Land Rover and Daimler this week said they will reduce production because chip supply issues. Other car companies have or are planning to temporarily shut down production lines. Renault, GM, Ford, Fiat Chrysler (now Stellantis), Volkswagen, Nissan, and Ho... » read more

SiC Market Moves Into Overdrive


The silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor market continues to heat up in the automotive arena. In recent times, several automotive OEMs have formed a series of alliances with SiC device makers, and for good reason. In a major way, many automotive OEMs are entering or expanding their efforts in the battery-electric car market. SiC power semiconductors are among the key components used ... » read more

Electric Cars Gain Traction, But Challenges Remain


Battery-powered electric vehicles are expected to reach a milestone in terms of shipments in 2019, but the technology faces several significant hurdles to gain wider adoption in the market. Limited driving range, high costs, battery issues, and a spotty charging infrastructure are the main challenges for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In addition, there are issues with various power semic... » read more

ADAS Meets Anthropology


Melissa Cefkin, principal scientist and design anthropologist at the Nissan Research Center, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to talk about how people will interact with autonomous vehicles and AI and why different disciplines are required to make this work. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. SE: Why did Nissan hire an anthropologist? Cefkin: Anthropologists have been ... » read more

Cobalt Shortages Ahead


Rapid growth of electric vehicles is creating an enormous demand for cobalt, causing tight supply, high prices and supply chain issues for this critical material. Cobalt is a ferromagnetic metal and one of the key materials used in lithium-ion batteries for cell phones, notebook PCs, battery-electric cars and hybrids. It also is used in alloys and semiconductors. And while the IC industry co... » read more

Rules Of The Driverless Road


The growing disparity among states, countries and carmakers over autonomous driving is turning what should be a logical progression into chaos. Consider what's happening in California, which is determined to remain the leader in this tech revolution. The state last month relaxed its testing rules so that cars can be monitored remotely, with no driver actually present inside the car. I... » read more

Anatomy Of An Autonomous Vehicle Crash


The rollout of autonomous vehicles will have far-reaching impacts on technology, business and social interactions, but it also will set in motion a whole new side of technology development and new legal frameworks to prove what went wrong when these vehicles are involved in an accident. This isn't just something to plan for down the road. The California Department of Motor Vehicles this week... » read more

5 Takeaways From ISS 2018


At the recent Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) in Half Moon Bay, Calif., there were a multitude of presentations on a number of subjects. The event, sponsored by SEMI, had presentations on the outlook for ICs and equipment. As part of the program, ISS also discussed the latest business and technology trends. In no particular order, here are my five takeaways from ISS: Ranging forecasts ... » read more

The Road To Autonomy


Visions of autonomous driving were everywhere at CES 2018 in Las Vegas and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Still, while there is progress in the technology, it will be years before the average motorist can get a fully autonomous vehicle. Advanced driver-assistance systems are gaining in complexity and scope, representing steps toward automated driving. At CES 2018, ... » read more

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