1. Automotive electronics are fueling the rapid growth of automotive PCBs.
2. Cars have evolved from being purely mechanical devices to sophisticated systems that combine both mechanics and electronics. The share of automotive electronics in the overall manufacturing cost of vehicles continues to rise, and the automotive electronics market is expanding rapidly.
3. Mechatronics in the automotive sector
4. Due to the demanding and complex operating conditions of vehicles, automotive PCBs must meet extremely high reliability standards. Additionally, the automotive industry is governed by a recall system, which means manufacturers bear the risk of product failures. Small manufacturers often cannot shoulder this risk, leading to their exclusion from the market.
1. However, the entry barriers for vehicle PCBs are high, requiring a series of verification tests, and the certification process is lengthy. Once a manufacturer is certified, they typically do not switch suppliers easily, ensuring relatively stable orders. Automotive electronics can be divided into two main categories: body electronic control systems and vehicle electronic control systems.
2. The body control system encompasses the engine control system, body control system, and chassis control system. It integrates the vehicle’s mechanical systems with electronic components, leveraging the advantages of electronics to enhance the mechanical performance, achieve electromechanical integration, and ensure the vehicle’s operation is safer and more stable.
3. The vehicle electronic control system primarily includes multimedia systems, navigation systems, driving recorders, parking sensors, and other systems that increase convenience and entertainment, enriching the overall in-car experience.
4. Intelligent driving has unlocked significant potential for the automotive industry, driving growth in market penetration. The ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) market is expanding rapidly, shifting from the high-end to the mid-range market, with innovations in sensor technology creating new opportunities.
5. Currently, ADAS penetration is under 5%. However, with the expansion of its functions, coupled with policy incentives and even mandatory regulations, it is projected to grow at a rate of over 20% in the near future. By 2020, the market size is expected to approach $30 billion.
6. ADAS relies on PCBs to implement various operational, safety, and peripheral control functions. As fully autonomous vehicles become more widespread, the number of PCBs required will increase to meet driving needs.
7. The scale and forecast of China’s intelligent driving market, particularly ADAS, which serves as a transition toward fully autonomous vehicles, show significant potential. Various sensors placed on the vehicle collect environmental data both inside and outside the car to detect static and dynamic objects. This data helps identify potential hazards quickly, improving safety through active safety technologies. The principle behind ADAS technology mirrors human response mechanisms: data is gathered, processed, and linked to decision-making, with the calculated results passed to actuators to perform the necessary driving functions.
8. Millimeter-wave radar is the core sensor in ADAS systems. These radars operate in the millimeter-wave frequency band, transmitting radio signals around the vehicle and calculating distances, directions, and sizes of obstacles by analyzing the reflected waves. Millimeter-wave radar comes in two main frequencies: 24GHz and 77GHz.
9. The 77GHz millimeter-wave radar is used to measure the speed of vehicles ahead and the distance between vehicles, while also monitoring the speed and distance of the vehicle itself. The 24GHz radar is primarily employed for monitoring objects near the vehicle. The increasing use of millimeter-wave radar will drive the demand for high-frequency automotive PCBs. Currently, automotive millimeter-wave radar technology is advancing rapidly. In the next couple of years, vehicles supporting ADAS will typically feature at least four millimeter-wave radars. For instance, the new Audi A4 uses five, while the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is equipped with seven.
10. It is expected that the average number of millimeter-wave radars in vehicles will continue to rise, leading to a surge in demand for PCBs for automotive radar systems. As millimeter-wave radar products near their release phase, high-frequency PCBs will be crucial for supporting the antennas and maintaining sufficient signal strength in a compact integrated space.
2. Cars have evolved from being purely mechanical devices to sophisticated systems that combine both mechanics and electronics. The share of automotive electronics in the overall manufacturing cost of vehicles continues to rise, and the automotive electronics market is expanding rapidly.
3. Mechatronics in the automotive sector
4. Due to the demanding and complex operating conditions of vehicles, automotive PCBs must meet extremely high reliability standards. Additionally, the automotive industry is governed by a recall system, which means manufacturers bear the risk of product failures. Small manufacturers often cannot shoulder this risk, leading to their exclusion from the market.
1. However, the entry barriers for vehicle PCBs are high, requiring a series of verification tests, and the certification process is lengthy. Once a manufacturer is certified, they typically do not switch suppliers easily, ensuring relatively stable orders. Automotive electronics can be divided into two main categories: body electronic control systems and vehicle electronic control systems.
2. The body control system encompasses the engine control system, body control system, and chassis control system. It integrates the vehicle’s mechanical systems with electronic components, leveraging the advantages of electronics to enhance the mechanical performance, achieve electromechanical integration, and ensure the vehicle’s operation is safer and more stable.
3. The vehicle electronic control system primarily includes multimedia systems, navigation systems, driving recorders, parking sensors, and other systems that increase convenience and entertainment, enriching the overall in-car experience.
4. Intelligent driving has unlocked significant potential for the automotive industry, driving growth in market penetration. The ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) market is expanding rapidly, shifting from the high-end to the mid-range market, with innovations in sensor technology creating new opportunities.
5. Currently, ADAS penetration is under 5%. However, with the expansion of its functions, coupled with policy incentives and even mandatory regulations, it is projected to grow at a rate of over 20% in the near future. By 2020, the market size is expected to approach $30 billion.
6. ADAS relies on PCBs to implement various operational, safety, and peripheral control functions. As fully autonomous vehicles become more widespread, the number of PCBs required will increase to meet driving needs.
7. The scale and forecast of China’s intelligent driving market, particularly ADAS, which serves as a transition toward fully autonomous vehicles, show significant potential. Various sensors placed on the vehicle collect environmental data both inside and outside the car to detect static and dynamic objects. This data helps identify potential hazards quickly, improving safety through active safety technologies. The principle behind ADAS technology mirrors human response mechanisms: data is gathered, processed, and linked to decision-making, with the calculated results passed to actuators to perform the necessary driving functions.
8. Millimeter-wave radar is the core sensor in ADAS systems. These radars operate in the millimeter-wave frequency band, transmitting radio signals around the vehicle and calculating distances, directions, and sizes of obstacles by analyzing the reflected waves. Millimeter-wave radar comes in two main frequencies: 24GHz and 77GHz.
9. The 77GHz millimeter-wave radar is used to measure the speed of vehicles ahead and the distance between vehicles, while also monitoring the speed and distance of the vehicle itself. The 24GHz radar is primarily employed for monitoring objects near the vehicle. The increasing use of millimeter-wave radar will drive the demand for high-frequency automotive PCBs. Currently, automotive millimeter-wave radar technology is advancing rapidly. In the next couple of years, vehicles supporting ADAS will typically feature at least four millimeter-wave radars. For instance, the new Audi A4 uses five, while the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is equipped with seven.
10. It is expected that the average number of millimeter-wave radars in vehicles will continue to rise, leading to a surge in demand for PCBs for automotive radar systems. As millimeter-wave radar products near their release phase, high-frequency PCBs will be crucial for supporting the antennas and maintaining sufficient signal strength in a compact integrated space.
