AutoTechInsight

Impact of COVID-19 on Automotive UI/ UX Market

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly disrupted all aspects of the automotive supply chain. Global efforts to control the spread of the virus have impacted both demand and supply, and in turn the industry cumulating in a sharp decline in production. Both automakers and auto...

29-May-2020 Insights COVID-19 Pinned

COVID-19 Impact Survey: Automotive Semiconductors Survey Results

COVID-19 Impact Survey: Automotive Semiconductor Survey Results

01-May-2020 Report E/E and Semiconductor Pinned Featured

COVID-19 pandemic: Automotive Supplier Plant Downtime Tracker

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06-Apr-2020 Insights COVID-19 Pinned

Impact of COVID-19 on Automotive UI/ UX Market

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly disrupted all aspects of the automotive supply chain. Global efforts to control the spread of the virus have impacted both demand and supply, and in turn the industry cumulating in a sharp decline in production. Both automakers and auto...

29-May-2020 Insights COVID-19

Is water injection technology ready for mass-market adoption?

Automotive OEMs across the globe are faced with the challenge of making their vehicles increasingly more efficient by cutting fuel consumption and emissions. A wide variety of measures exist for car manufacturers to employ and refine in order to achieve these desired effects, including improving the...

28-May-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

How COVID-19 will fast-track health and wellness features in the automotive industry

As the world is adapting to live the “new normal,” the widespread economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is becoming clearer by the day. For industries across the world, the key challenge is not just to fight the pandemic but also to manage its social and economic conse...

26-May-2020 Insights COVID-19

Vehicle electrification trend to drive adoption of gallium nitride devices

The rise in connected and autonomous services along with the growth in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) has led to the adoption of various new technologies in the automotive industry over the last decade. This trend has led to a broader use of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor materials. While s...

21-May-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

5G in-vehicle deployment forecast expected to drop in stages due to COVID-19 pandemic

The utilization of 5G is just getting to a nascent stage, but the disruption caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic across the supply chain has already begun to impede its progress. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), an organization setting global mobile network stand...

19-May-2020 Insights COVID-19

The next decade will be the most crucial and opportune for magnesium in the automotive industry

For OEMs, lightweighting is one of the most value-for-money solutions to achieve better fuel efficiency and lower emissions in a vehicle. There is almost no component in a vehicle which is not under the scanner for lightweighting―right from seats, chassis, powertrain parts, the entire body-in-whit...

05-May-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Steer-by-wire power steering system demand to surge within five years

Automotive steering systems have experienced occasional changes in terms of their design and complexity. While the basic technology has endured for generations, innovation has sporadically made noteworthy advancements to the way we steer our vehicles. After the advent of steering systems that used r...

01-May-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

COVID-19 pandemic: EV charging industry wrestles with a new magnitude of underutilization

As several countries around the world impose complete lockdowns because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, global light vehicle sales are expected to witness a fall of more than 22% year on year (y/y) in demand to 70.3 million units in 2020, according to April I...

01-May-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

B-segment vehicles to see major rear seat HVAC fitment growth within five years

Automakers are on a constant quest to innovate amenities and convenience features to improve passenger comfort. The general trend with such technology is that they are initially introduced into the upper segments. However, over time, many such concepts and features trickle down to the more affordabl...

29-Apr-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Leather expected to see increasing competition from synthetic alternatives in automotive interior segment

Sustainability is no more just a tool for automakers to meet the government’s regulations and policies. Sustainability is now a necessity to be able to meet the changing lifestyle choices and eco-friendly preferences of customers. An increasing number of car buyers want their purchase to have the ...

31-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

e-Turbos and e-Boosters to register increased adoption in the near future

Automobile owners of today demand more features, more comfort, more safety, and more value for their money. A significant section of people want to drive the cars they own faster, a requirement that can be attributed to rapidly improving road infrastructure available in many countries today. However...

31-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Key takeaways from the Automotive Ethernet Congress 2020

With the growing number of connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles on the road, ethernet in automotive is inevitable and will become crucial. The sixth edition of the annual Automotive Ethernet Congress was held in Munich on 12 and 13 February 2020. During the event, industry leaders and expert...

31-Mar-2020 Insights Corporate developments

V2G could become a necessity in an EV-dominated landscape

The current global electricity production of more than 26,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) just about meets the global demand. The demand is mostly from the industrial segment and the transportation segment’s contribution is negligible. However, the demand from the transportation segment is certainly goin...

30-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Weekly

Tire pressure monitoring systems to become an increasingly prevalent feature in automobiles

Safety has become an incredibly important priority for today’s automotive manufacturers. Vehicles are becoming increasingly powerful and more complex, and when that is coupled with improving road infrastructure in many parts of the world and a steadily rising density of automobiles, it has the pot...

26-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Heated steering wheels to become more prevalent in mass-market vehicles

Automobiles are no longer seen as luxuries, and passenger cabin comfort is no different. Car buyers all over the globe are ready to spend an increasing proportion of their income on vehicles, which is leading to greater acceptance of features that were once relegated only to luxury and high-end cars...

17-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Electric parking brakes set to become more prevalent in lower-segment cars

Electric parking brakes (EPBs), once seen as a luxury feature that was available only to buyers of high-end and premium vehicles, are poised to make significant inroads into lower vehicle segments. This technology replaces the conventional hand-operated brake lever with a switch that operates the br...

05-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Can the price gap between palladium and platinum pave a way for the latter’s comeback?

While electrified vehicles are growing in popularity and numbers in many major automotive markets in the world, there is a consensus that internal combustion engines (ICE) will continue to feature in a majority of vehicles that are mated to mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, or plug-in hybrid technologies. H...

02-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Market outlook for automotive sensors as electrification expands

The automotive industry experienced one of its most sluggish periods over the last couple of years. Macroeconomic factors such as the US–China trade war and a weak Chinese manufacturing output led to dented consumer sentiment across most verticals, but the automotive industry bore one of the bigge...

02-Mar-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Demand for charge air coolers forecast to accelerate between 2021 and 2025

The world of today is highly aware of the problems posed, and the far-reaching ramifications, of climate change. As a result, increased levels of efficiency and optimization are demanded in every sphere, and one area where this is felt more strongly than anywhere else, is in the automotive sector. A...

27-Feb-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

The battery electric vehicle: Why mass adoption is inevitable, yet elusive

When will battery electric vehicles (BEVs) reach the tipping point and overtake the internal combustion engine (ICE) as the power source of choice? This question is already agreed by most industry observers one that defines the modern automotive era. Some industry analysts claim that retail ...

21-Feb-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

BorgWarner looks to future-proof powertrain business with acquisition of Delphi Technologies

The fast-paced technology developments in the automotive industry have made consolidation almost a necessity in order to keep pace with the changes, not just in the powertrain domain, but across the industry. We have witnessed a number of consolidations in the form of mergers and acquisiti...

10-Feb-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Airbag technology for autonomous vehicles

Automotive industry’s focus on active safety technologies―such as antilock-braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control system (TCS)―has increased significantly in the past two decades. Automakers are also offering new vehicles with rising number of advanced dr...

05-Feb-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Outlook for automotive electronics in 2020

The growth in electrification, connected car and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), along with the strict regulatory emphasis on emission norms in the automotive industry, have set the ball rolling for changes that are expected to continue well into this decade. Multiple macro-economic facto...

04-Feb-2020 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Thermal sector wrap-up 2019

The automotive thermal sector witnessed a wide range of innovations and developments, from improving vehicle efficiency to making vehicle occupants more comfortable. Irrespective of whether automobiles are being powered by conventional forms of drive such as internal combustion engines, or by n...

31-Dec-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Powertrain sector wrap-up 2019

The response to climate change has been the defining aspect of this year for car makers and component manufacturers with regard to the powertrain sector. Car markets across the globe witnessed the creation and implementation of more stringent emission norms, forcing OEMs and ancillary companies...

29-Dec-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Chassis sector wrap-up 2019 – Market analysis

The buzzword for the automotive chassis sector in 2019 was “consolidation”. Ever increasing competition, falling demands and spiraling costs meant that different companies have felt the need to work together in order to outperform the competition and market standards, and reduce their exposure t...

24-Dec-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

New chassis technologies in ADAS and autonomous vehicles

The global chassis systems market is currently undergoing a sea change, and strategies of both OEMs and suppliers are, above all, being molded by the emergence of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. A growing number of chassis systems are being designed to be intellige...

04-Dec-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

New emission norms to drive demand for fuel-efficient clutch technologies

New developments and technological advancements in the automotive powertrain sector are taking place at an unprecedented pace. The focus is on ramping up power and torque levels delivered to the wheels from powertrain units that are increasingly more efficient, in addition to being lighter in weight...

02-Dec-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Market outlook for AC condensers

Overview A key component of any automotive air conditioning system is the condenser. The condenser is a heat exchange system that condenses the refrigerant from a vapor state to a liquid state, thereby transferring latent heat to the surroundings and lowering the temperature of the air that is ci...

25-Nov-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Cabin air filter sector and technology

World Health Organization (WHO) statistics estimate that ambient air pollution accounts for an estimated 4.2 million deaths per year due to stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases. Air pollution can be defined as the presence of foreign substances in the air that do not ...

21-Nov-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Outlook for HVAC HMI systems

Automotive manufacturers across the globe are investing ever increasing amounts of time, effort and money in order to make the interiors of their vehicles better. Vehicle owners are spending longer durations in their cars than ever before in history, particularly due to longer commute times. Studies...

30-Oct-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Low emissions zones and their impact on powertrain development

A study by the European Union (EU) in 2017 states that cars are responsible for around 12% of total carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the EU. By 2021, under the emission reduction targets planned by the EU, all new cars must achieve an average of 95 grams of CO₂ emissions per kilometer. This mea...

29-Oct-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

Integrated approach to thermal management in BEVs and full HEVs

The alternative propulsion sector finally seems to be gathering some steam after being on the fringes of the market for several decades. According to IHS Markit forecasts the demand for EVs which include BEVs, full HEVs and FCEVs (fuel cell electric vehicles) is expected to grow by around 24% (compo...

24-Oct-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Global automotive safety supplier market insights

Introduction According to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018, traffic accidents were responsible for 1.35 million deaths each year and are the 8th leading cause of death among people of all ages. While technological advancements in safety systems have reduc...

24-Oct-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

The challenges EV start-ups are facing

Sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) totaled more than 2 million units in 2018, a 63% increase from the previous year, according to the IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2019. PEVs accounted for 2% of global light-vehicle sales in 2018, which is a quantum jump from 0.3% in 2015. If recent announcements ...

23-Oct-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Impact of increasing sensor fitment on the in-vehicle network

ADAS for Autonomous Driving is the major force for the automotive in-vehicle networking sensor market; especially for image and radar sensors. These devices are being integrated into several interior and exterior components of the vehicle, including radar into bumpers and grills, and image sensors i...

04-Oct-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Examining the engine oil filter technology and market dynamics

The internal combustion engine (ICE) is an intricate assembly of several moving parts such as pistons, connecting rods, camshafts, and valves. The individual components are usually assembled with very tight tolerances between them and operate at very high speeds when the engine is running. For the e...

01-Oct-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Irreversible diesel declines or “safe haven” market opportunities?

Diesel, as a choice of fuel for light duty vehicle powertrains, has globally witnessed a fall in demand since 2016. IHS Markit forecasts the production of diesel powertrains will decline globally by about 3% in the period 2018-25. One of the key regions that will lower the global count will be Europ...

17-Sep-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

Balancing aerodynamic performance and cooling efficiency using AGS

Active aerodynamics and the art of manipulating airflow Modern automotive aerodynamics is more complex than just creating a vehicle with the lowest coefficient of drag (Cd). Cd of a vehicle is a dimensionless number that determines how much air resistance a moving vehicle encounters. Therefore, ...

19-Aug-2019 Insights Financial results

Monetizing Connected Car

Introduction A big buzz word in the automotive industry now is ‘connected car’—a vehicle which can optimize its operation and maintenance as well as the convenience and comfort of passengers using onboard sensors and Internet connectivity. General Motors (GM) introduced the concept of conne...

05-Aug-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Fuel cell EV sales and attempts to spur growth in the market

Introduction A hydrogen fuel cell can be likened to a battery that uses an electrochemical reaction to convert the chemical energy of hydrogen (fuel) and oxygen (oxidizing agent) to generate electricity. However, unlike conventional automotive batteries that store energy and must be recharged, an...

23-Jul-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

2018 Global plug-in electric vehicle index

Overview 2018 was a year of sustained growth for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). OEMs around the world exhibited an increased commitment towards improving their uptake, with global PEV market share increasing from 1.4% in 2017 to 2.2% in 2018 . This is backed by a 55% increase in PEV production...

18-Jul-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Technology and market dynamics of engine cooling fans & motors sector

The internal combustion engine (ICE), irrespective of the fuel type, does not sit very high on the efficiency scale. In most engines, up to 65% of the heat energy produced can be written off as losses—the lion's share lost mainly to the cooling circuit and via exhaust gases. The ICE must be ...

10-Jul-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Vehicle entry system – A review of current trends

Technology disruptions have led to the evolution of vehicle access systems from traditional lock-and-key systems to keyless entry technology. Keyless vehicle access control systems are fully automated systems featuring an electronic locking feature that secures access to the vehicle electronically, ...

08-Jul-2019 Insights Corporate developments

China 6 emission legislation

To address air pollution problems in China, the country’s regulatory bodies are working toward swiftly adopting more stringent protocols to reduce harmful automotive emissions and fuel consumption. In December 2016, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment put forward the final version of i...

04-Jul-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

Safety of the Intended Functionality: Functional Safety for Autonomous Vehicles

Introduction Strong concerns about the operational safety of highly automated and autonomous vehicles have prompted the requirement for the next generation of autonomous functional safety standards for achieving safety compliance targets. The technological development curve supporting highly auto...

03-Jul-2019 Insights Technology Trends

How does Infineon's acquisition of Cypress benefit their automotive business?

Given the recent announcement of Infineon’s acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor, IHS Markit explored what this represents and what are the benefits to Infineon’s automotive business. In terms of product portfolio what does Infineon get from Cypress? Flash, especially NOR Flash, and SRA...

19-Jun-2019 Insights Mergers and Acquisitions

Advantages of twin-scroll turbocharger

Turbocharged engines of the past have perennially suffered from ‘lag’, a delay in response to a driver input request for increased performance by way of an accelerator pedal depression. This occurs as a result of the time taken for the turbocharger to ‘spool up’ (exhaust gas impeller to incr...

12-Jun-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Automotive Functional Safety

Introduction - Functional safety The growing demand for comfortable driving experience, along with a higher degree of safety and efficiency, has resulted in increased complexities and functionalities of ECU-based vehicle design. The technological advancement in automotive electronics has resulted...

06-Jun-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Automotive Image Sensors – A Review of Current Trends

Sensors have played a pivotal role in the automotive industry, as knowing the state of various systems within the vehicle is ever more important. Sensors are also increasingly being used to gather information about a vehicle’s surroundings and are being integrated more and more into several i...

14-May-2019 Insights Corporate developments

ADAS & Electric Vehicles accelerate demand of automotive electronic control units

Our Analysis Electronic control units (ECUs) are playing an increasingly critical role in the automotive industry, driving the development of safer, smarter, cleaner and better-connected cars. As a result, global automotive ECU revenue is expected to soar to $211 billion in 2030, rising at a comp...

14-May-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Sustainable acquisition of e-motor materials, supply chain implications

Automakers have come under tight scrutiny in the aftermath of the Diesel Emissions Affair. Governments around the world are increasingly introducing and enforcing stringent policies and federal emission targets, which OEMs must achieve to sustain their operations. The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehi...

09-May-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

EU General Safety Regulation 2019

Introduction In May 2018, the European Commission introduced a new regulation to enhance safety standards for passenger and commercial vehicles. The proposed regulation was part of the European Commission’s third “Europe on the Move” package launched in May 2018. The revised General Safety ...

08-May-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

2019 ADAS sensor conference observations and summary

The ADAS Sensor Conference 2019 provided numerous insights into the current state of the industry and technology from both financial and technical perspectives. The combination of sensors continues to be the trend with most still favoring the combination of radar, image and lidar. However ...

04-May-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Vehicle electrification to spur robust market for electrification-related sensors

With hybrid and electric vehicles finally making significant headway among consumers, sensors related to system electrification are on a fast track to solid market expansion, according to a new IHS Markit report on passenger-car-related electrification sensors. Global revenue for vehicle-electrif...

30-Apr-2019 Insights Corporate developments

From infotainment consolidation to domain fusion and vehicle functions in the cloud

The central body control module was the first ECU to become a sort of hub or gateway managing multiple basic functionalities related to doors, windows, seats, lighting and air conditioning. However, infotainment is currently the vehicle domain where the most radical consolidation is happening. Cockp...

17-Apr-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Connected Gateways Market – A Review of The Current Situation

Automobiles used to be very simple, with electrics covering all but the basics with lighting and ignition. Over time, and with the development of integrated circuitry, electronics entered the vehicle with single wires being used as control lines between switches and actuators. Modern vehicles featur...

15-Apr-2019 Insights Corporate developments

HD Maps – Competitive Landscape

Introduction Technology companies are taking their mapping and localization efforts to the next level to support the growing development of autonomous driving technologies. This has resulted in the integration of next-generation maps, known as HD maps, into semi- and fully-autonomous vehicles. HD...

08-Apr-2019 Insights New Products

A look into the technology and supply chain of the global automotive thermostatic expansion valve sector

For quite some time now, effective cabin temperature control has been right up there with premium cabin materials and multimedia features, along with ergonomic and comfortable seating, as one of the cornerstones of passenger cabin experience. OEMs have not only obliged but have taken it up a notch �...

08-Apr-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Euro 7: Legislative time frame and parameters

Each stage of emission and fuel economy regulations and standardization of robust compliance testing procedures has consistently led to further advancement in powertrain technology. Particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions have fallen by more than 95% between Euro 1 and Euro 6 stan...

02-Apr-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

Geneva Motor Show 2019 : Material sector insights

The Geneva Motor Show 2019 was tracked extensively by IHS Markit, not only in terms of important OEM launch developments but also from the point of view of the supply chain and technology trends that the show offered. With analysts on the ground covering the show, there were many insights that could...

20-Mar-2019 Insights Technology Trends

High-definition Maps

Introduction Since the introduction of Honda’s Electro Gyro-Cator navigation unit in 1981, automotive navigation systems have come a long way. In-vehicle navigation has become ubiquitous in modern day cars, enabling consumers to seamlessly navigate from one place to other, along with other feat...

06-Mar-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Coupled air conditioning hose and tube system – a look into the technology and market dynamics of the component.

As light vehicle cabins have become more sophisticated, advanced, and comfort-oriented over the years, driven by increasing customer expectations, automotive air conditioning systems have transitioned from an optional comfort feature in the earlier years to a necessity in today’s competitive autom...

05-Mar-2019 Insights New Products

Government Mandates for Autonomous Features Support Sensor Advancements in Vehicles

With an ever-increasing number of vehicles on the road and a resulting increase in road accidents, governments spring into action. It is expected that road accidents cost most countries around 3% of their annual GDP. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.25 million people die ea...

05-Mar-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Can EVs sell and thrive in US state Michigan?

Introduction Even as an increasing number of US states are transitioning towards alternative propulsion by adhering to the zero-emission zone (ZEV) mandate initiated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the majority of Michigan’s auto industry still revolves around the traditional inte...

28-Feb-2019 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Electrically heated catalyst

The implementation of Real Driving Emission regulation on 1 September 2017 has tightened NOx emission regulation for vehicles with diesel powertrains registered from 1 September 2019. Moreover, new vehicles produced from January 2021 will need to adhere to Euro 6d norms. It states that if NOx confor...

15-Feb-2019 Insights New Products

Natural fibers and hemp usage in automotive

Natural fibers derived from plant stalks or leaves have long been used for industrial purposes especially in the textile and medicine industry. However, plant fibers have been finding other important functions such as being used as matrix components for composites for the construction industry. The ...

14-Feb-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Automotive Ethernet Congress recap from Munich

The Automotive Ethernet Congress in Munich is an important and quite technical event for experts in vehicle networking that want to be informed about the latest developments and meet other industry leaders. The congress welcomed not only European visitors but also a significant number of Asian ...

14-Feb-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Automotive Cabin Comfort – The rising application of seat thermal management

In automotive design, passenger comfort is a central element along with the other performance and efficiency parameters. Manufacturers invest a lot of resources to ensure the highest degree of ambiance, ergonomics, and user experience for the occupants. Extreme seasonal swings in ambient temperature...

12-Feb-2019 Insights Corporate developments

The shift towards automatic transmissions drives the market for transmission ECUs

More severe global emission regulations lead vehicle manufacturers to look at the entire vehicle to optimize fuel consumption. One area of interest to vehicle manufacturers is replacing manual transmissions with automatic transmissions, allowing for a higher number of gear ratios. This enables small...

06-Feb-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Domain Controllers for ADAS and Autonomous Vehicles

Introduction The electrical and electronic architecture of any vehicle defines the relationship between its hardware, software, and computing power. The increasing adoption of new active safety and driver assistance features has massively impacted the system architecture of modern day vehicles. T...

05-Feb-2019 Insights New Products

Potential electric vehicle markets

Introduction Although the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is still at a nascent stage compared with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the technology is gradually establishing itself in the mass market. The advent of EVs is expected to cause massive disruptions in the tradit...

29-Jan-2019 Insights Policy & Regulation

Automotive infotainment semiconductor highlights from CES 2019

Infotainment and informational advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are converging in a digital cockpit with multiple voice assistants, impressive displays, electronic mirrors, driver monitoring cameras and new ways of interaction. These are the main telematics and infotainment semiconductor&nb...

15-Jan-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Electronics component consolidation on the rise

The automotive industry is facing immense pressure from end users for more features at lower costs. This has created an opportunity for industry players to innovate and change the electronic architectural design in several areas of the vehicle. Modern cars consist of several electronic control un...

09-Jan-2019 Insights Corporate developments

Kinetic Energy Recovery System

Over the past two decades, the automotive industry has focused on minimizing powertrain energy losses with advancements in combustion process, transmission design and lightweight material usage. Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is one of the innovations among energy harvesting and regeneration ...

07-Jan-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Thermal Management in FCEVs (Fuel Cell EVs)

Alternative propulsion is the ‘buzzword’: Gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines (ICE) have enjoyed a duopoly over the global automotive landscape for a greater part of the century due to the sheer convenience, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness of the design as a mass road transpo...

07-Jan-2019 Insights Investments

GRAPHENE as an Automotive material

Graphene has long been christened the gold mine of new age materials since its first discovery in 2004 by a team of two scientists at Manchester University. A single-atom, two-dimensional thick film of carbon-graphene is known to have strength, electrical conductivity and flexibility, all of which a...

07-Jan-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Automotive Computing Platforms – Distributed or Centralized

With the emergence of concepts such as telematics, connected cars, and autonomous vehicles, modern day cars have become extremely complex machines. Advance electronics power everything within a vehicle, ranging from dashboard instrument clusters to powertrain, and connectivity to infotainment and co...

07-Jan-2019 Insights Technology Trends

Transmission Gear Ratio Spread

Emission and fuel efficiency norms of today are demanding cleaner and more efficient vehicles. OEMs and suppliers have responded to this by introducing down-sizing with use of a turbocharger for both diesel and gasoline engines. Powertrain design is incomplete without considering transmission design...

10-Dec-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Trends in the wiring harness industry

Automotive wiring harnesses are an assembly of wires that transmit power and signals to electronic control units (ECUs), actuators, and other onboard electronics. Components commonly connected to the wiring harness are control units, sensors, and actuators, including the onboard diagnostic computer,...

07-Dec-2018 Insights Corporate developments

Electrification of automotive water pumps and rising demand for auxiliary coolant pumps

The internal combustion engine (ICE) is the dominant propulsion system technology driving the global transportation industry and has remained so for the better part of the century since the dawn of the automobile. The ICE generates the power required to drive the wheels using the energy derived from...

06-Dec-2018 Insights Production Statistics & Forecasts

Is there a future for PHEVs?

Introduction For some time now, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) have been viewed as a bridge between conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles and pure electric vehicles (EVs). They have witnessed sustained growth over the past five or so years as products have come t...

06-Dec-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Lightweighting in BIW Component Systems

The body-in-white, or BIW, forms one of the most critical vehicle component systems in defining both the final external contour of a car and determining its crash worthiness. Acting as the basic skeleton of the car to which the other component systems are bolted/mounted, the BIW needs to perform var...

05-Dec-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Standardizing ADAS Packages

Introduction The automotive ecosystem has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years as crashworthiness is superseded by crash avoidance. One major element of this trend is the wider availability and increasing adoption of active safety systems in passenger vehicles. The growing demand for advanc...

05-Dec-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Disconnect All-Wheel Drive

All-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) systems are widely offered in sport utility vehicles (SUV) and pick-up trucks, under Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3.5 tons. This is largely due to increasing consumer demand for AWD from the traditional front-two or rear-two-wheel drive systems. With...

30-Nov-2018 Insights New Products

Power semiconductors take center stage in vehicle electrification

Stringent carbon dioxide (CO2) emission standards worldwide, along with stricter testing regimes like Real Driving Emissions (RDE) and the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), are driving OEMs to develop higher-efficiency powertrain systems. For the goal to be achieved, engin...

27-Nov-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Cost analysis of electric vehicle charging stations

Introduction An electric vehicle (EV) charging station, also known as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), refers to a device that connects an EV to a source of electricity. EVSE varies in type depending on the type of power supplied, the connectors as well as the charging standards adhered ...

24-Nov-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Advanced thermal management for battery electric vehicles – A first in China

According to IHS Markit forecasts, one in five light vehicles produced in major production regions will be a full hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or battery electric vehicle (BEV) by 2025. This means that as the volumes rise, investments will begin to make financial sense to manufacturers rather than ...

09-Nov-2018 Insights New Products

Impact of Autonomous and ADAS technologies on Vehicle weight

Autonomous Vehicles (AV) are one of the most talked innovations across the automotive industry. Autonomous driving aims at using technology to aid fully automated driving of a vehicle from one place to another, while ensuring that all road hazards and traffic conditions are rightly identified and re...

05-Nov-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Trends in the automotive high voltage battery market

The battery is one of the major components in EVs, as it influences the range which the vehicle can cover in electric mode. It is expected that the market for alternative propulsion vehicles will grow significantly in the coming years, and with it the battery market. Major trends that influence the ...

05-Nov-2018 Insights Corporate developments

Impact of governmental regulations and guidelines on ADAS adoption

The global rise in the number of vehicles on the roads has led to rapid rise in road accidents, resulting in fatalities and partial or full disabilities as well as other minor injuries. People across the world, living in both developed and developing regions, have to face the risk of road accidents....

02-Nov-2018 Insights New Products

Implications of Emission Hardware Developments on NVH

Research and development across all OEMs and suppliers involved in the development of powertrains and their integration into vehicles requires specific focus on Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH). A vehicle with good NVH characteristics is likely to deliver much higher levels of perceived quality ...

25-Oct-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Fuel cell electric vehicle product review and market development

What is fuel cell technology? Fuel cell technology combines hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity that powers the electric motor of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Unlike other electric vehicle (EV) alternatives, FCEVs’ range, and more importantly, refueling processes are comparable to...

17-Oct-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

Sheet Molding Compounds

The use of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) in the automotive industry has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. SMC is a variety of composite containing a polyester/polymer matrix with glass and carbon fibers. The composite gets its name from the specific compression molding process in wh...

10-Oct-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Growing importance of battery cooling in full hybrid and electric vehicles and the longer-term prospect for further trend disruption.

While it is inevitable that powertrain migration from an ICE to EV will be the endgame to meet the increasingly stringent regulations, the consensus in the industry is that talk about the complete demise of ICE technology is somewhat premature. The IHS Markit forecast indicates that one in five vehi...

05-Oct-2018 Insights Investments

Gallium Nitride-on-Silicon (GaN-on-Si) Technologies – A Big Opportunity for Power Devices

Gallium Nitride (GaN) is becoming a promising semiconductor technology for high performance microwave, radio frequency and millimeter wave devices. GaN devices enable operation at much higher voltages, frequencies, and temperatures over conventional semiconductor materials such as silicon. &nbs...

03-Oct-2018 Insights Corporate developments

Lean-burn Gasoline Technology

Modern lean-burn gasoline engines can accomplish higher fuel efficiency along with better torque output in comparison to conventional IC engines. The technology helps drivers save fuel costs in both city and highway conditions as well as emitting fewer CO2 emissions. These engines incorporate a high...

28-Sep-2018 Insights Technology Trends

A review of battery manufacturing location announcements

Introduction As alternative propulsion technologies gain greater acceptance, the demand for batteries is expected to increase. At a simplistic level, the battery may be considered as an energy storage medium for an electric vehicle (EV) in the same way as a gasoline or diesel fuel tank is in a tr...

19-Sep-2018 Insights AutotechInsight Analysis Monthly

The quest for individual comfort is driving the growth of multizone LV HVAC systems involving front and rear applications

The extreme swings in ambient temperature witnessed across the world have made cabin temperature control an indispensable part of passenger comfort. Automotive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems too have transitioned from the rudimentary and optional comfort feature of yestery...

12-Sep-2018 Insights Technology Trends

Automotive Plastics

The automotive industry forms a major clientele for engineering plastics, and the usage of advanced plastics has been on a steady increase for cars. The average weight of plastics and polymer composites used in a car is easily above 160 kg and is increasing. In terms of volume, these plastics a...

06-Sep-2018 Insights Technology Trends