IC equipped with infotainment, safety features, and 'Keyless Go' function

Maxim announced that it has shipped its one billionth integrated circuit (IC) used in electronic devices for automotive infotainment, safety systems, Keyless Go, and powertrains. Maxim's integrated products are widely used in automotive undercarriages that are smaller in size and more reliable.

Today, automotive energy efficiency is steadily increasing, and the requirements for automotive electronics are becoming more complex due to customers expecting safety and convenience as well. Consequently, Maxim is growing rapidly in the automotive sector. The automotive sector, which accounted for only 5% of Maxim's total revenue in 2012, now accounts for 16%.

Maxim will participate in the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 6 to 9, 2016, and will exhibit automotive solutions such as the MAX9286 GMSL deserializer, MAX16984 automotive DC-DC converter, and MAX2173 DAB RF to Bits tuner.

The MAX9286 GMSL (Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link) deserializer reduces the number of parts and time to market, and enables the design of surround view systems for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The MAX9286 synchronizes multiple videos received from up to four cameras together.

The MAX16984 automotive DC-DC converter, which integrates a USB charging emulator, allows for fast and stable charging of mobile devices via in-vehicle USB using a single IC.

The MAX2173 DAB RF to Bits tuner, used in Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) applications, enables Software Defined Radio (SDR) through its RF to Bits architecture. It also offers benefits such as space savings, reduced component count, and significantly improved system flexibility.

Randall Wollschleger, Vice President of Maxim’s Automotive Business Unit, said, “Maxim’s shipment of the one billionth automotive IC is a significant event. Automotive electronic system designers are considering Maxim for advanced solutions for vehicle access, safety, infotainment, and power control.”

Market research firm IHS forecasts that automotive semiconductors will be the fastest-growing sector within the overall semiconductor market, projecting an average annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2014 to 2019. During the same period, the growth rate of the overall semiconductor market is expected to be 2.3%. According to IHS, Maxim has recorded double-digit growth rates over the past three years, growing faster than the industry average for automotive semiconductors.

Maxim's automotive solutions meet the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) standards of ISO 26262. It is designed as a highly integrated IC to operate in extreme environments and over a wide temperature range, and features high and low voltage protection functions.