Key IC Chips in Automotive You Should Know

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How many ICs are in a vehicle? The modern automobile industry is characterized by electronics. Electronic components control many different aspects of a vehicle. This is unlike in the past years when a typical car mainly comprised of combustion engines, wheels, and other mechanical elements.

With modern cars, you will interact with different electronics most of which have improved the driving experience. Some improve the comfort of driving a vehicle while others enhance safety features.

Semiconductor chips are at the heart of all these electronics in the automotive industry. Any feature or application in automobiles is powered by integrated circuits. This is true regardless of the complexity of an application.

The number of IC chips in a vehicle ranges between 1000 to 3000 or more. It all depends on the electronic features of a car.

The more the feature the higher the number of IC chips. Complexity or sophistication can also determine the number of IC chips. More complex features are expected to be driven and controlled by a high number of integrated circuits.

 In this article, we are going to discuss some of the most important IC chips that are used in the automotive industry. We will highlight the roles of these chis in vehicles.

The rise of semiconductor chips in automobiles

 The use of IC chips in the automotive industry is not something new. It started many years back and has been in tandem with the development of semiconductor technology.

To be precise, this technology dates back to the late 1970s when solid-state computers were embedded into vehicles to control various operations such as fuel injection systems. Some advanced systems were used for monitoring the performance of vehicles.

 The instant result of using solid-state computers in vehicles is efficiency in fuel consumption. The technology also improves the management of vehicles. Drivers and even owners could easily get accurate data about various parameters in vehicles.

In 1976,  Intel made an entry into the automotive industry with its maiden engine control unit (ECU). Soon after that, the company was even contracted by some automakers to manufacture custom ICs for their vehicles. The first client was Ford which wanted an integrated circuit for its engine control system.

Since then,  semiconductor chips have become a common feature in the automotive industry. They are everywhere. Any action or operation on a vehicle is controlled by  IC chips. Some of the earliest applications included anti-lock braking systems (ABS)  and airbag deployment systems.

From 2010 going forward,  we started witnessing advanced   ICs getting into the automotive industry. They came with an array of new features and functionalities such as wireless connection, advanced driver assistance systems, infotainment systems, and navigation systems among others.

The entry of electric vehicles meant that chip manufacturers had to design new ICs that would meet the demands of this new technology. The new semiconductor chips, on the other hand, have also accelerated the inventions of the electric vehicle powertrains.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies have also penetrated the automotive industries. AI chips are used for implementing intelligent functionalities on vehicles.  Autonomous or self-driving cars are perfect products of AI chips in the automotive industry.

Which chips are used in the automotive industry?

Let’s review some of the most common semiconductor chips that are used in the automotive industry. To make things easier, we will cover different sections of automobiles and then look at specific ICs that are used in each section.

Engine control units

The engine control unit executes various operations that are directly related to the operations and functionalities of an engine. Most modern vehicles have more than one ECU and each is designed to monitor and control specific aspects of an engine.

ECUs are equipped with sensors that collect data about the engine.  These sensors are semiconductor chips or integrated circuits. Each type of sensor is designed to work on specific types of data.

Information from the sensors will determine the performance of a vehicle’s engine. For example, the sensor will trigger the engine to automatically adjust the vehicle’s fuel consumption rate. Some of the engine sensors that you should know include cam crank sensors and pressure sensors.

Other than sensors, other integrated circuits are found in ECUs. They include step-up motor drivers, ignition IC, DC motor drivers, and many others.

Driver assistance ICs

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAs) encompass numerous features that are specifically designed to enhance the driving experience. They enhance the comfort and safety levels when driving a vehicle.

Common ADA applications include lane-keeping assist, cruise control, collision avoidance, parking assistance, and pedestrian detection, among many others.

Semiconductor chips are at the core of all the ADAs applications. They are used for collecting, storing, and processing data that run these applications. For example, microprocessors will process data such as images from the cameras. 

Thermal system

Heat management is a critical aspect of an automobile. Measures are taken to protect the engine from overheating, something that is likely to cause serious damage.

While other physical devices take care of the engine issues, electronic components are also involved.  Heat sensors get data on the actual thermal situation of a vehicle and then transfer the information to the ECU. The operation of some thermal components such as cooling fans depends on semiconductor chips.

Infotainment system

IC chips are heavily featured in infotainment systems of vehicles. They run devices such as touchscreens, audio systems, navigation systems, and  connectivity systems,

Some of these chips include power ICs, network ICs,  and amplifier ICs. 

Conclusion

 If you are keen on automotive electronics, it is prudent to know all the semiconductor chips that are used in vehicles. This way, you will be able to address any electrical issue affecting the vehicle.

In case you are in the business of automotive manufacturing, the knowledge of IC chips will help you build and integrate different electronic applications into vehicles.

So, where can I find the best IC chips for automotive?

You can only get such from reputable semiconductor chip suppliers and manufacturers. They have the capacity and experience to deliver quality ICs in large volumes.

At ICRFQ, we are fully commited to helping our clients in the automotive industry get the right ICs for their applications.