US Semiconductor Broadcom “Developing AI Chips with 3 Large Cloud Companies”
Broadcom, an American semiconductor company, announced on the 12th (local time) that it is “developing artificial intelligence (AI) chips with three large cloud companies.”
Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said this during a conference call with investors after announcing the company’s fourth quarter (August to October) earnings, saying, “We see opportunities in AI over the next three years.”
“The big cloud companies have started their journey to develop their own custom AI accelerators,” Tan said. “We are currently developing AI chips with three very large customers.”
Huawei’s latest phone uses 7nm chips… “Suggesting delay in China’s semiconductor technology development”
On the 11th (local time), market research firm TechInsights disassembled and analyzed the Mate 70 Pro+, which Huawei released in China last month, and announced that it is equipped with the 7㎚ process processor ‘Kirin 9020’, designed by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon and manufactured by China’s largest foundry, SMIC.
TechInsights assessed that this is an improvement over the Kirin 9010 used in Huawei’s Mate 60 series released last year, but contrary to some expectations, it is not a groundbreaking advancement.
TechInsights said, “Early rumors said the phone would be equipped with a Kirin 9100 chipset made with a 5nm process, but the Mate 70 Pro Plus is instead equipped with the Kirin 9020, which is made by SMIC on a 7nm process node.”
US confirms 8.8 trillion won in semiconductor subsidies for Micron… Speed before Trump takes office
The U.S. Joe Biden administration has decided to provide subsidies worth 8.8 trillion won to Micron, a domestic semiconductor company, in accordance with the Chips Act.
With just over a month left until the end of his term, the Biden administration appears to be speeding up subsidy payments before President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed a negative stance on the semiconductor law, takes office.
According to the Washington Post (WP) and other sources on the 10th (local time), the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a statement that day, announcing that it would pay $6.165 billion (approximately KRW 8.8184 trillion) in semiconductor subsidies to Micron.
TensorTorrent, Nvidia’s Rival, Establishes Semiconductor Design Business Base in Japan
Tensorrent, a semiconductor design company that is gaining attention as a rival to Nvidia in the artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor fields, is starting a semiconductor design contract business in Japan, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 11th.
According to the newspaper, Tenstorent will establish a base in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, as early as this year. It plans to recruit about 40 design engineers by the end of next year and build a development team of 100 people at an early stage.
Tenstorent’s new Japanese base will subcontract advanced semiconductor design processes based on customer requests. Tenstorent, which is also working with Japanese semiconductor company Lapidus, is also considering outsourcing semiconductor production orders for which it has received design contracts to Lapidus.
Intel Interim CEO: “Not yet decided whether to spin off foundry business”
Intel said it may consider spinning off its foundry business depending on the progress of its Intel 18A microprocessor, which will be operational next year, and securing customers. Reuters and Bloomberg reported this on the 12th (local time in the U.S.), citing the Barclays Conference event.
Intel has been under the interim CEO role of CFO David Zinsner and Intel Products Group CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus since former CEO Pat Gelsinger stepped down earlier this month. The board is in talks with key figures in the semiconductor industry, with the goal of recruiting outside talent in principle.
Hyosung TNC acquires Hyosung Chemical’s special gas business
The plan is to add the special gas business that produces nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), which is used to clean foreign substances in semiconductor and display processes, to the portfolio and to leap forward as a specialized materials company producing high value-added materials.
Hyosung TNC held a board meeting on the 12th and announced that it had decided to acquire the special gas business division of Hyosung Chemical Co., Ltd. The acquisition price was set at a total of KRW 920 billion through a fair evaluation by an external organization.
ICH accelerates commercialization of heat control material with ‘AI semiconductor insulation function’
ICH announced on the 11th that it is accelerating the commercialization of high-functionality heat control materials (Heat Control Materials) as a new growth engine.
Thermal control materials are heat-dissipation and insulation materials that can solve the heat generation problem of mobile devices. Considering that the on-device of artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, high integration of chips, and miniaturization of devices are emerging as key topics for solving heat generation problems, we are expanding investment as a next-generation growth engine. The first new material being prepared for commercialization is a special insulation material for AI semiconductors. As AI functions expand, the need for insulation materials that block heat as well as heat dissipation of semiconductors is also increasing, and a rapid increase in demand is expected.
Hyundai-Beijing Automotive Group “1.6 Trillion Won Joint Investment in Electric Vehicle Development”
On the 11th (local time), Hyundai Motor Company and BAIC announced to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that they will invest 548 million dollars (about 780 billion won) each in Beijing Hyundai, a joint venture between the two companies. The two companies plan to use the funds to develop new eco-friendly cars such as electric vehicles. In China, the proportion of eco-friendly cars (electric vehicles + plug-in hybrid vehicles) among new cars has already exceeded 50%. Despite this, Hyundai Motor Company does not yet produce any electric vehicles directly in China.
Beijing Hyundai said that through this investment, it plans to produce an electric vehicle model using its first dedicated platform next year. Starting in 2026, it plans to launch five eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrid vehicles, in the Chinese market. Hyundai said, “We will strengthen Beijing Hyundai’s new product development through the Yantai Technology Research Center in China and the Advanced Research and Development Center in Shanghai.”
“Catching Electric Vehicle Fires”… Laon People Provides AI Fire Monitoring Solution to Yongsan-gu Office
AI specialist company Laon People announced on the 13th that it has completed the construction of an ‘AI fire surveillance solution’ that can detect everything from subtle flames to smoke in the Yongsan-gu Office parking lot at an early stage, and can respond quickly in one stop by linking it with the fire extinguishing system as well as sending alarms to those in charge and the building, and has started its main business after a testing period.
Yongsan-gu Office is the first in the district to establish an AI fire detection system to prevent major disasters in a parking lot affiliated with the district, and has established a preemptive response and physical safety system including installing thermal imaging cameras, relocating electric vehicle charging facilities, installing mechanical fire suppression equipment, and increasing sprinklers in charging areas. In addition to early detection of major disasters through AI, it has also enabled one-stop response according to a step-by-step manual.
China’s Nio to Sell 160 Million Won Electric Vehicle… “Challenging BMW and Audi”
According to the Hong Kong daily South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 13th (local time), William Li, CEO of Nio, said the previous day, “Foreign automakers will have no place in China,” adding, “Chinese automakers make better electric cars.”
Nio will launch the ‘ET9’ in March next year. With a pre-sale price of 800,000 yuan (about 160 million won), it is the most expensive car since Nio was founded in 2014. Nio said that it set the high price because it can drive smoothly and comfortably even on bumpy roads and has a long driving range compared to the weight of the battery.
The SCMP cited the German BMW ‘7 Series’ and Audi ‘A8’, which are priced similarly to the ET9, as competitors. The 7 Series is sold in China starting at 920,000 yuan, and the A8 starts at 790,000 yuan. However, these vehicles are internal combustion engine vehicles.
Greenergy to supply $21.7 billion worth of parts to U.S. electric car company Lucid over 10 years
Lithium titanate (LTO) battery specialist Greenergy announced on the 13th that it will be supplying auto parts to American electric vehicle company Lucid starting this month. Greenergy said that it will be supplying auto parts worth approximately 21.7 billion won over the next 10 years. Greenergy will be supplying four types of vehicle interior switches, including the trunk, for Lucid’s new mid-size SUV (sports utility vehicle) ‘Gravity.’
The company also said it is likely to receive orders for various parts, including vehicle switches, for new vehicles from other North American electric vehicle companies, and expects additional sales of 150 billion won over the next several years.
Greenergy is the only LTO battery manufacturer in Korea. LTO batteries are products that replace graphite, which was used as the negative electrode of existing lithium-ion batteries, with LTO. They have excellent stability, output, and lifespan. They are attracting attention in heavy equipment, shipbuilding, railways, national defense, and ESS (energy storage systems).
Xiaomi to unveil its second electric vehicle ‘YU7’ in June next year
Xiaomi Chairman Lei Jun announced on the 9th (local time) through his Weibo account, a Chinese social network service (SNS), that “Xiaomi’s second electric vehicle, the ‘YU7,’ is scheduled to be officially released in June or July next year.”
The background for disclosing the launch early was explained as “because we hope it will help us conduct comprehensive and detailed large-scale testing over a long period of time to create a better product.”
The YU7 is a purely electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) with a length of 4999 mm, width of 1996 mm, height of 1600 mm, wheelbase of 3000 mm, and a top speed of 253 km/h.
QuantumScape, One Step Closer to Launching All-Solid-State Battery… Successful Mass Production of Separator
On the 8th (local time), QuantumScape announced that it has established a ceramic membrane production plant to lay the foundation for mass production of B-sample cells, making mass production of B-samples possible starting next year.
Earlier, QuantumScape announced its third quarter business performance and announced that it had succeeded in producing the all-solid-state B sample ‘QSE-5 B’. However, because the process was difficult, only small-scale production was possible. In order to mass-produce all-solid-state batteries, a system for manufacturing ceramic separators was needed, and this was developed.
QuantumScape designed the ceramic separator and named its self-developed production process “Cobra.” Although it did not disclose specific production capacity, it said it could produce solid-state batteries at gigawatt-hour (GWh) scale.
Chinese batteries sweeping Europe, CATL-Stellantis joint venture to build new plant
On the 10th (local time), Telantis announced on its website that it will build a large-scale electric vehicle battery factory in partnership with CATL. Currently, Stellantis owns various brands in the United States and Europe, including Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, and Chrysler, under its corporate umbrella.
On that day, Stellantis announced that it would build a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery factory worth 4.1 billion euros (approximately 6.1683 trillion won) in the Zaragoza region of northeastern Spain through a 50:50 investment with CATL. The factory is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026 with support from the Spanish government and will be able to produce batteries of up to 50 gigawatt hours (GWh).
“NVIDIA Hires AI Autonomous Driving Talents in China”
Bloomberg News reported on the 12th that the number of employees at Nvidia’s Chinese subsidiary is expected to increase from 3,000 at the beginning of this year to around 4,000 by the end of this year, and that the increase in the number of employees was largely due to the addition of 200 people to the autonomous driving research team in Beijing.
Additionally, anonymous sources reported that the remainder of the increased workforce is part of the after-sales service and networking software development teams.
Nvidia is expanding its global workforce as demand for AI semiconductors soars. As of February this year, it had 29,600 employees in 36 countries.
Japanese Honda Ends Partnership with US GM on Autonomous Vehicles… Tokyo Unmanned Taxi Project Also Halted
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 12th that Japanese automaker Honda is ending its partnership with American automaker General Motors (GM) in the autonomous driving field. The termination of the partnership is interpreted as a measure taken in response to GM’s announcement that it will withdraw from the autonomous taxi business.
Honda currently has a partial investment in Cruise, GM’s autonomous driving subsidiary. It plans to sell its current Cruise stock to GM and end the partnership by the first half of 2025. Honda will continue to develop autonomous driving technology on its own, but a major review of its strategy is inevitable.
Hyundai Autoever, Self-Driving Vehicle Safety International Standard Certification
Hyundai Autoever announced on the 12th that it was the first in Korea to obtain ‘SOTIF’ certification, an international standard for ensuring the safety of autonomous vehicles.
SOTIF (ISO 21448) is a standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2022. It evaluates whether autonomous driving systems or advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) operate safely even in unexpected situations. This certification was led by UL Solutions, the first safety standard development and certification organization in the United States, established in 1894.
The certified items of Hyundai Autoever are approximately 40 types of outputs related to the vehicle SW development process closely related to autonomous driving systems. Based on this certification, Hyundai Autoever plans to pursue consulting services for companies developing autonomous driving systems and ADAS.
AWS Helps Lotus Develop Connected Cars and Autonomous Vehicles
Amazon Web Services (AWS) will provide its data analytics solutions to Lotus Technologies (Lotus) to help secure business insights, analyze vehicle purchases, and develop customized purchase recommendation services.
AWS announced today that it has been selected by smart mobility company Lotus as its preferred cloud provider to support the development of intelligent luxury automotive experiences. Lotus will leverage AWS to execute its “Vision 80” strategy to transform itself into a global luxury technology brand by 2028.
Lotus is focusing on developing next-generation electric and digital technologies to provide luxury electric vehicles. Lotus is applying AWS technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), analytics, machine learning, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) to develop connected features such as autonomous driving solutions, immersive infotainment, and ultra-fast vehicle charging.
Sampo Group Deploys Autonomous Driving Patrol Robots to Prevent Accidents
Sampo Group announced on the 9th that it has recently started joint development of a customized safety system with Guardian AI, which possesses AI vision recognition technology and the source technology for autonomous robots. The company expects that the safety of industrial sites will increase by introducing smart safety management using an AI-based active response system (ARS) in a system that focuses on post-response.
ARS is an AI system that performs active commands through interaction between robots and control systems. Its advantage is that it can advance data-based safety manuals.
Among the affiliates of Sampo Group, Sampo Industries Incheon Ready-Mix Concrete Plant will be the first to introduce AI vision recognition technology. An AI fall prevention system will be installed in the product shipment area to check whether workers are wearing safety equipment and control whether they can enter the work area and make shipments.
Hyundai Mobis participates in CES… exhibits windshield panoramic display, etc.
Hyundai Mobis announced on the 12th that it will participate in ‘CES 2025’, the world’s largest information technology (IT) and home appliance exhibition to be held in Las Vegas, USA in January next year. Hyundai Mobis is the only company in the Hyundai Motor Group participating in this CES.
Hyundai Mobis plans to introduce a total of three technologies: a holographic windshield display, a human-centric interior lighting system, and a brainwave-based driver inattention care system (Embrain).
The ‘holographic windshield display’, which is being jointly developed with German optics company ‘ZEISS’, is a technology that displays various driving and infotainment information in a panoramic manner on the front windshield of a vehicle.
Small OLED shipments in Q3↑… LG Display ‘surging’
According to UBI Research on the 9th, small OLED shipments in the third quarter of this year amounted to 247 million units, up 7.8% from the previous quarter and 32.6% from the same period last year.
Although shipments from Chinese panel makers including Samsung Display and BOE were similar to or slightly lower than the previous quarter, overall shipments increased due to a surge in shipments from LG Display and China’s Everdisplay.
LG Display shipped 17.6 million iPhone panels, up 64% from the previous quarter, based on the iPhone 16 series, which has begun full-scale production. Smartwatch shipments rose 147% to 12.2 million units.
Source: kipost.net