Hyundai Mobis has completed the in-house design of automotive semiconductors, a core component of software-defined vehicles (SDVs), and will begin mass production. By the end of this year, the company plans to establish a research base in Silicon Valley, USA, to enhance its technological capabilities and secure automotive semiconductor technology.

The company announced on March 18 that it has completed research and development (R&D) and reliability verification for semiconductors used in core components such as electrification, electronics, and lamps, and will start mass production in the first half of the year. Hyundai Mobis plans to outsource the production of its in-house designed automotive semiconductors to Samsung Electronics. This marks the company’s entry into mass production of automotive semiconductors approximately five years after acquiring Hyundai Autron’s semiconductor business in 2020.

The semiconductors to be mass-produced this year include a power integration chip that combines the power control functions of electric vehicles and a lamp driving semiconductor. Hyundai Mobis views automotive semiconductors as a key technology to lead future mobility and has been dedicated to R&D in this field. The company is known to operate a separate organization responsible for the semiconductor business, securing over 300 specialized personnel.

Hyundai Mobis is focusing on developing its own semiconductors due to the rapidly increasing demand for automotive semiconductors. As the automotive industry advances in autonomous driving technology and accelerates the transition to electrification, it is expanding into the mobility industry. Currently, up to 3,000 semiconductors are installed in mass-produced vehicles, and demand is expected to increase further. Market research firm IDC predicts that the global automotive semiconductor market will grow from $41.182 billion (approximately 60 trillion won) in 2020 to $88.275 billion (approximately 128 trillion won) by 2027, with an average annual growth rate of about 12%.

Hyundai Mobis is focusing on two areas: power semiconductors that enhance electric vehicle driving range and performance, and system semiconductors that perform various functions such as vehicle power, drive, communication, sensing, and networking. The company plans to establish a complete lineup of electric vehicle drive systems, from power semiconductors to power modules, inverters, motors, and power electric (PE) systems. According to its mid- to long-term semiconductor R&D strategy, it will mass-produce silicon-based high-power semiconductors (Si-IGBT) next year. By 2028 and 2029, the company aims to mass-produce next-generation battery management ICs and silicon carbide-based power semiconductors (SiC-MOSFET), respectively.

In the second half of this year, Hyundai Mobis will establish a specialized research base for automotive semiconductors in Silicon Valley, USA, and develop semiconductor design technologies tailored to both domestic and overseas markets. Hyundai Mobis stated, “We plan to strengthen collaboration with global semiconductor companies and secure outstanding overseas talent.”