$900 worth of semiconductor devices in today's electric/hybrid car

Automotive grade semiconductor device maker Infineon said, vehicles with a conventional power train are currently fitted with semiconductors worth around US $300. In hybrid and electric vehicles, this figure will increase by around US $600. The devices such as power modules, precision sensors, and SoC chips take major share.

The hybrid and electric driven vehicles are set to rule the future of automotive market and the role of semiconductor in modern automotives is significant. It can be compared to the way the telephone exchanges have moved from mechanical to electronics long time back. Except the electric motor, IC engine (in case of hybrid), and batteries, much of the components in the power train and control units of electric driven automotives are going to be electronic parts. When it comes to safety and driver assistance, the electronics is slowly taking over the role of driver. Electronics inside the car turns car into a mini-office as well as mini-theater.

The share of electric and hybrids cars in the overall car market is still in the single digit range but is showing signs of fast growth for the sake of word 'green'. It's not just cars, any moving vehicle from bicycle to simple carts showing the trend of moving to electrically driven.

"Innovative semiconductor solutions are paving the way for and advancing electric mobility," said Peter Bauer, Chief Executive Officer of Infineon Technologies. "With our sensors, microcontrollers and power semiconductors, we're breaking the ground for market-viable and affordable electric mobility."

Infineon says, to enable electric vehicles to make the transition from a niche product to the mainstream, two things must happen: a massive reduction in cost and the creation of an intelligent power distribution infrastructure - a smart grid.