Is driverless driving safer than human driving? Where are the opportunities for domestic automotive chips?

OmniVision Technologies Empowers Autonomous Driving

Liu Qi, General Manager of Automotive Electronics China at OmniVision Technologies (hereinafter referred to as "OmniVision"), gave a speech entitled "OmniVision Technologies Empowers Autonomous Driving". He said that autonomous driving is divided into perception, decision-making and behavior control, and OmniVision focuses on the perception level. Founded in 1995, OmniVision has been committed to image sensors for 24 years.

Liu Qi, General Manager of Automotive Electronics China Business of OmniVision Technologies

According to Liu Qi, OmniVision's image sensors rank first in the market except for mobile phones and automobiles. "The development cycle of the automotive industry is very long, and the response to performance is relatively lagging. In terms of investment, we are confident that we will be the first in the automotive industry within 4 to 5 years."

"OmniVision has been working in the automotive industry for 15 years and has overcome all the difficulties. We have certain advantages in developing new products," said Liu Qi when talking about the field of automotive image sensors. "In the future, autonomous vehicles may use 14 to 15 image sensors, including surround view, driver fatigue monitoring, driving recorders, and even future rearview mirrors."

In addition, Liu Qi also believes that the reason why OmniVision can succeed in the automotive field is that it is the only company that has made achievements in the fields of mobile phones, automobiles, and security, and the requirements of these three markets for image sensors are different. For example, security has high requirements for low light and near infrared; automobiles have high requirements for reliability and wide dynamic technology; and mobile phones prefer small pixels.

"The three technical pillars complement and promote each other. This is our advantage," said Liu Qi.

Where are the opportunities for domestic automotive chips?

Afterwards, Sun Yizhong, deputy secretary-general of the Integrated Circuit Branch of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Alumni Association and CEO of Xixi Technology, hosted a roundtable forum on the theme of "Internet of Vehicles and Automotive Electronics", and the guests expressed their views on the opportunities for domestic automotive chips.

Cheng Jinglei believes that cars are special in nature and are dynamic functions, which require sensors, radio frequency, display, power and drive, storage, and logic products. Cars are an industry within an industry, and their connotations are too complex. From a development perspective, the biggest challenges are two types of chips:

1. Logic computing chips have many requirements for automotive applications, and they must also be impact-resistant and have a 15-year lifespan. Companies around the world that make computing chips shake their heads when it comes to the automotive industry.

2. Power chips, such as IGBT, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, etc., will need to consume less and less power and have higher and higher efficiency in the future. In addition, the voltage of power devices must be continuously improved while ensuring safety.

When talking about the opportunities of Chinese chips, Cheng Jinglei said that China's automotive chips lag behind the United States by 10 to 12 years. Logically, the current world-class domestic chip companies are equivalent to what traditional companies such as TI, Infineon, and NXP did 12 years ago in terms of technical logic and integrity. But there are still opportunities, and we must make full use of China's industrial advantages. Cheng Jinglei believes that China has great opportunities in perception chips, security chips, and edge computing.

Hong Bin, founder and CEO of Shanghai Benyue Artificial Intelligence and partner of Deding Innovation Investment, believes that there will be many opportunities in scenarios such as commercial vehicles and special vehicles that do not have high requirements for chips. When Hong Bin entered the field of unmanned driving at the port, it was based on the consideration of the landing scenario.

Hou Yizhen said that the battery management chip is a special product. It is always connected to the battery, charged throughout its life cycle, and the operating voltage is continuously between 40 and 60V. The failure rate of related chips purchased by CATL is not low. It is very cautious to import domestic chips at this time. After all, many new energy vehicles will spontaneously combust every summer, and the next generation of BMS may be able to provide early warning. Hou Yizhen mentioned that the next goal is to work with domestic and foreign foundries at the same time to verify domestic chips and help domestic manufacturers grow bigger and stronger.

Regarding the characteristics of the power module, Liang Xiaoguang, head of the power module packaging project at ZF Japan R&D Center, believes that this is a comprehensive product that integrates battery DC, motor AC, heat generation, high voltage, mechanical properties, temperature shock, materials, mechanics, etc. The power module structure has not changed much in the past 30 years, but it is still difficult. We still have a chance in hybrid power.

Chi Wei, Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Semiconductor at OmniVision Technologies China, expressed the hope to bring global technology advantages to the Chinese market, connect with domestic enterprises, and achieve longer-term and better development. Sha Hongzhi, Chairman of Nanjing Shangluo Electronics Co., Ltd., said that the company started with consumer products and gradually entered the automotive field. In the future, it plans to conduct more in-depth research and connect system products in series.