Infineon and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) have announced a new strategic cooperation agreement to meet the growing demand for automotive microcontrollers. The partnership will involve producing Infineon’s high-performance microcontroller product, which uses the company’s proprietary eNVM (embedded non-volatile memories) technology, at UMC’s Singapore fab on its 40nm process. Microcontrollers are essential components that control various functions in cars, and demand is expected to rise as cars become more environmentally friendly, safe, and smart. Infineon plans to ramp up its selling rate of automotive microcontrollers to nearly one million per day this year.
This long-term agreement will help Infineon secure additional capacity to meet the needs of its customers in the fast-growing automotive market. According to Rutger Wijburg, Chief Operating Officer of Infineon, the partnership will focus on providing a reliable supply of high-quality microcontrollers that meet stringent safety and security requirements for vehicle systems. UMC’s Co-President, Jason Wang, also expressed excitement about the collaboration and the opportunity to deepen the company’s partnerships with world-class automotive leaders like Infineon.
The 40nm eNVM microcontroller production partnership is significant as it underscores the importance of these devices in the automotive industry. Microcontrollers are crucial to the functioning of modern cars, controlling everything from the engine to the entertainment system. Infineon’s eNVM technology allows for data storage even when power is removed, making it ideal for automotive applications requiring reliability and safety.
Overall, the partnership between Infineon and UMC is an important step forward in meeting the growing demand for automotive microcontrollers. With cars becoming more advanced, the need for high-quality, reliable microcontrollers will only increase.
About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG is a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Infineon drives decarbonization and digitalization with its products and solutions. The company has around 56,200 employees worldwide and generated revenue of about €14.2 billion in the 2022 fiscal year (ending 30 September). Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the OTCQX International over-the-counter market (ticker symbol: IFNNY).
About UMC
UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry company. The company provides high-quality IC fabrication services, focusing on logic and various speciality technologies to serve all major sectors of the electronics industry. UMC’s comprehensive IC processing technologies and manufacturing solutions include Logic/Mixed-Signal, embedded High-Voltage, embedded Non-Volatile-Memory, RFSOI and BCD etc. Most of UMC’s 12-in & 8-in fabs with its core R&D are located in Taiwan, with additional ones throughout Asia. UMC has 12 fabs in production with a combined capacity of over 850,000 wafers per month (8-in equivalent), and all of them are certified with IATF 16949 automotive quality standards. UMC is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, plus local offices in the United States, Europe, China, Japan, Korea & Singapore, with worldwide total of 20,000 employees.