“We’re also keeping a close eye on the integration of Infineon and International Rectifier, following their similar announcement earlier this year.”
Leaders in the automotive semiconductor market experienced exceptional results and growth in 2014, according to updated analysis from IHS (NYSE: IHS). Now that final financial reports have been made and analyzed, IHS has adjusted its final rankings of these suppliers (originally reported in January) to accommodate some missed expectations in Europe, as well as currency exchange rates and unexpected strong growth at the end of 2014 by some suppliers.
“For 2015, IHS expects to see a shift among the leading suppliers in this category, given the recent merger of Freescale and NXP, two large players in the market,” said Luca de Ambroggi, principal analyst, automotive semiconductors at IHS. “We’re also keeping a close eye on the integration of Infineon and International Rectifier, following their similar announcement earlier this year.”
Based on final analysis of 2014 results, Renesas maintained its leadership position as the number one supplier in 2014, according to IHS analysis of reported company revenues. A strong finish to the year resulted in growth to its automotive revenue and exceeded all expectations. Key segments for Renesas include microcontrollers (MCUs) and logic integrated circuits (logic IC) categories, as 39 percent of all vehicles include a Renesas MCU, with a 16 percentage point lead on its nearest competitor. Renesas’ work in providing semiconductors in all segments, including infotainment, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), body and convenience and powertrain systems continues to lead its global growth efforts.
In second place for 2014, Infineon revenue grew more than 11.7 percent in 2014, based on its strong presence in powertrain, chassis and safety, as well as body and convenience categories within the auto sector. It also supports further electrification in vehicles through power management ICs, MCUs and modules. The complementary products of International Rectifier and Infineon will reinforce Infineon’s future position in the key growing applications of hybrid electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
Rounding out the top three, STMicroelectronics saw robust growth of nearly 9 percent in 2014, in part due to its leadership in the Analog IC category for chassis and safety, powertrain, infotainment, body and convenience components. In addition, its second ranking in the logic IC category provides components primarily for infotainment solutions, including audio amplifiers and digital radio receivers. It also grew significantly in China, which contributed to its overall global growth in 2014. Engine and transmission management are also key application areas for STMicroelectronics, as its sensors business also is growing, including in accelerometers for airbags and combination motion sensors for future active safety applications. Additionally, STMicroelectronics is the foundry for Mobileye’s silicon solutions, which led ADAS camera systems in 2014 with phenomenal growth, outperforming expectations.
