TSMC Considers Investing in Domestic AI Semiconductor Startup Furiosa AI
According to the IT industry on the 27th, TSMC Global, a TSMC investment subsidiary, has been considering making a strategic investment in Furiosa AI since the fourth quarter of last year. In response, Furiosa AI stated that the investment scale and specific conditions have not been determined.
FuriosaAI is a fabless startup developing AI inference-specific semiconductors for data center servers.
NVIDIA has developed cost-effective neural network processing units (NPUs) for AI semiconductors, Warboy and Renegade, and Renegade is produced through TSMC’s 5nm process.
Lee Bu-seop, Chairman of Dongjin Semichem, Passes Away… Engineering Student Who Achieved Domestic Production of Semiconductor Materials
Lee Bu-seop, chairman of Dongjin Semichem, a domestic semiconductor materials and parts company, passed away on the 25th due to old age. He was 88 years old.
This chairman is a self-made businessperson who started from scratch and built the No. 1 domestic foaming agent and photoresist company. In particular, he played a leading role in localizing the core technology of photoresist, a key material for the domestic semiconductor process, in response to Japan’s export regulations on materials, parts, and equipment in 2019.
The chairman was born in Seoul in 1937 and graduated from Kyunggi High School and Seoul National University’s Department of Chemical Engineering. After starting his career at Daehan Photo Chemical in 1962, he founded Dongjin Chemical Industry, the predecessor of Dongjin Semichem, in a briquette warehouse at his home in 1966.
Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical to produce semiconductor material photoresist in Korea”
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 25th that Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has decided to manufacture photoresist, a key semiconductor material that has been produced only at its Osaka plant, in Korea. According to the report, Sumitomo Chemical plans to produce extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist and argon fluoride (ArF) photoresist in Korea in the future.
The company plans to invest about 30 billion yen (about 287.5 billion won) in Korea and Japan to expand photoresist production. Nikkei analyzed that “there are companies in Korea that make cutting-edge semiconductors,” and that production in Korea is meaningful in that it responds to local demand and disperses production bases.
SKC subsidiary ISC decides to merge with socket manufacturing subsidiary ITMTC
ISC is absorbing and merging with its subsidiary ITMTC. SKC announced on the 24th that it has decided to absorb and merge with ITMTC, a semiconductor electronic components manufacturer whose shares are 100% owned by its subsidiary ISC.
The merger ratio is 1 to 0. Upon completion of the merger, ISC will remain as the surviving company and ITMTC will cease to exist. Since this merger is being conducted as a capital increase merger without issuing new shares, there will be no change in ISC’s largest shareholder after the merger.
The company stated that “the merger is expected to have a positive impact on the company’s finances and operations by improving management efficiency and corporate value through unified management.”
Riding the AI craze… “TSMC 3nm product production expected to increase by 30% in 2025”
It is predicted that the production capacity of TSMC, the world’s largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) company in Taiwan, will increase by 30% this year due to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
Taiwanese media outlets such as Liberty Times reported on the 28th, citing sources, that TSMC has begun expanding its 3nm production facilities in preparation for increasing demand from customers such as Apple, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and AMD due to the explosive growth of the AI industry. They went on to explain that thanks to the expansion and 100% operation of TSMC’s 3nm production facilities, monthly production volume for the 3nm process is expected to exceed 120,000 units by the end of this year, a 30% increase from the previous year (approximately 90,000 units).
The source emphasized that the 3nm process, which accounted for only 26% of TSMC’s sales in the fourth quarter of last year, will become TSMC’s growth momentum this year, along with ‘chip-on-wafer-on-substrate’ (CoWoS) packaging.
Nvidia Earnings Surpass Market Expectations… “Blackwell Demand is Amazing”
Nvidia announced on the 26th (local time) that it recorded sales of $39.33 billion (KRW 56.4582 trillion) and net income per share of $0.89 (KRW 1,277) in the last quarter (November 2024 to January 2025). Sales are 3.3% higher than the Wall Street average estimate of $38.05 billion, compiled by market research firm LSEG. Net income per share also exceeded the estimate of $0.84.
Nvidia then forecasted that its revenue for this quarter (February-April) would be around $43 billion, which is about 3% higher than LSEG’s forecast of $41.78 billion.
Last quarter, sales surged 78% year-over-year, and net income was $22.09 billion, up 80% from a year ago. Nvidia has over 80% of the global market for cutting-edge AI chips, indicating continued demand for AI chips.
Huawei AI Chip Yield Improvement… China’s Semiconductor Independence Advances Again
According to the Financial Times (FT) on the 28th, the yield (the percentage of defective products) of the next-generation AI semiconductor ‘Ascend 910C’ manufactured by Chinese big tech company Huawei recently reached 40%, significantly higher than 20% the previous year.
According to the industry, the yield of Huawei’s main product, the ‘Ascend 910B’, is said to be at 50%, which is close to the ‘60%’ level that is already capable of commercial production.
The FT said, “The Ascend 910C’s inference performance is 60% of that of the Nvidia H100,” and “Despite US export controls, China has made groundbreaking progress in its hopes of building the computing infrastructure to support its rapidly growing AI industry.”
Xiaomi’s 100 million won super electric car sells 10,000 units in 2 hours
According to local Chinese media outlets such as Cheil Industries on the 28th, Xiaomi held a launch event for the electric vehicle ‘SU7 Ultra’ along with the smartphone ‘Xiaomi Mi 15 Ultra’ the previous day.
The Nuxiao Ultra is an electric vehicle that Xiaomi has been announcing since last year. Equipped with the Super 3 motor system developed by Xiaomi, it produces a maximum output of 1458PS (horsepower) and has a top speed of 350km/h. It takes 1.98 seconds to go from standstill to 100km/h.
“The Suzhou Ultra is the fastest four-door (sedan) mass-produced car on the planet,” Xiaomi founder and chairman Lei Jun said at the launch event. “Our goal is to compare it to Porsche in terms of performance, Tesla in terms of technology, and BBA (Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi) in terms of luxury.”
Witz, Full-scale Supply of Fire-Prevention Type Electric Vehicle Chargers
Witz, a company specializing in power transmission solutions, announced on the 27th that it will begin supplying its ‘Smart Control Slow Charger’, a fire-prevention electric vehicle charger, in earnest within the first half of this year.
According to the company, Witz plans to expand its business by introducing electric vehicle chargers with enhanced safety and technological prowess in relation to the electric vehicle charging facility subsidy guidelines announced by the Ministry of Environment the previous day.
Previously, Witz developed a slow charger with a fire prevention function through a PLC (power line communication) modem to secure differentiated technology in the electric vehicle charger market. The charger prevents fire by supporting stable communication between the electric vehicle and the charger, and collects and manages electric vehicle battery status information in real time to prevent battery overheating and accidents that may occur during charging.
SKIET, ‘Join Hands’ with China’s Gosun… Expanding Cooperation in Supplying Membranes to North America and Europe
SK IE Technology (hereinafter referred to as SKIET) has decided to strengthen cooperation with Chinese battery company Gosun in the North American and European regions, including the supply of battery separators for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS).
SKIET announced on the 27th that it signed a business agreement (MOU) with Gosun with the same content at the ‘2025 Intersolar North America Conference’ held in San Diego, USA on the 26th (local time).
Through this agreement, the two companies agreed to continue strategic cooperation for the supply of separators in North America and Europe. SKIET has already verified the supply of separators for electric vehicle and ESS batteries at Goseon’s battery plant.
KGA, All-Solid-State Battery Support ‘Dry Electrode Mixer’ Patent Registered
KGA has completed a full lineup of all-process equipment for solid-state battery manufacturing. KGA announced on the 28th that it has successfully developed a ‘dry mixer (mixing equipment)’ for dry electrodes and completed the registration of three patents for related technologies.
The patents registered by KG A this time are related to △improving the dispersibility between dry electrode materials, △effectively removing moisture contained in the materials, and △uniform mixing of dry electrode materials, and are core technologies that can maximize the electrical characteristics of dry electrodes.
Dry electrodes are a method of manufacturing electrodes without using conventional liquid solvents, and are characterized by greatly improving the production efficiency and energy density of secondary batteries. The technology has attracted market attention when Tesla applied it to the 4680 cylindrical battery.
CATL, Baidu Join Hands to Enter Autonomous Driving Market
CATL announced on the 27th (local time) that it had signed a partnership with Baidu to collaborate in various fields including the joint development of autonomous vehicles. CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqin and Baidu Chairman Li Yanhong also attended the signing ceremony.
CATL and Baidu will collaborate in the fields of autonomous driving, digitalization, and artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to develop autonomous mobility services and expand the application of AI in manufacturing.
The two companies will study CATL batteries and battery replacement-related products and services, as well as the possibility of applying skateboard chassis to autonomous vehicles. Skateboard chassis are one of the difficult and expensive automotive parts to manufacture, and CATL expanded its business portfolio last year by introducing a platform that integrates batteries and chassis.
Tesla acquires bankrupt German battery company
American electric car company Tesla is acquiring part of a bankrupt German auto parts company, dpa reported on the 25th (local time).
“We are delighted to be able to preserve many jobs and offer employees a future at one of the world’s most renowned electric car companies,” said Martin Mucha, the bankruptcy administrator for parts supplier Manz, which reached the deal through its subsidiary Tesla Automation.
Tesla is said to be taking over 300 of the company’s 400 German employees and acquiring some of its production facilities. Manz, headquartered in Reutlingen, southwestern Germany, manufactures various mechanical parts, including electric vehicle batteries. Last December, the company filed for bankruptcy due to a slump in the battery market and was looking for investors to acquire the company.
Inometry, bulk order for ESS battery inspection equipment
Innometri announced on the 27th that it has received a bulk order for non-destructive testing equipment to be installed in the battery production line for energy storage systems (ESS) from a major domestic client.
The specific customer name and supply volume were not disclosed as trade secrets. The company explained that it plans to supply computed tomography (CT) and X-ray inspection equipment to the customer’s domestic production line at the same time. The CT will be used to check the electrode alignment status, and the X-ray will be used to simultaneously inspect for gaps and foreign substances.
Innometri makes non-destructive testing equipment that uses X-ray or CT to take pictures of the inside of a secondary battery without damaging the product and analyzes it to find defects that may occur during the manufacturing process. The company explained that it can respond to all types of batteries based on precision optical technology and artificial intelligence (AI) and software (SW) platforms.
Kakao Mobility Releases Dataset for Autonomous Driving AI Learning
Kakao Mobility announced on the 28th that it will open its ‘autonomous driving data set for AI learning’ to the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)’s ‘AI Sharing’ to create a domestic autonomous driving research and development ecosystem.
The data was created as part of the national project ‘Autonomous Driving Technology Development Innovation Project’ with the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Autonomous Driving Technology Development Innovation Fund (KADIF).
Kakao Mobility participated in the project to implement Level 4 autonomous driving and completed the development of technology to automate the creation, management, and distribution of integrated autonomous driving data by linking ▲vehicles ▲edge-infrastructure ▲intelligent learning.
Tesla’s self-driving taxis run in California…Applying for ‘passenger transport’ permit
The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 27th (local time) that Tesla submitted an application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) late last year for a permit to transport passengers using its vehicles.
Tesla has already received permission to test its self-driving cars in California. If this application is approved, passengers will actually be able to summon and ride in Tesla’s self-driving cars.
According to emails obtained by WP through a public information request, Tesla applied for a “Transportation Charter Party” license, a business model in which the company owns and manages vehicles and has employees act as drivers.
CPUC spokesman Terry Prosper said Tesla’s application was “currently under review,” but declined to provide specifics.
“Tesla to launch advanced driving assistance FSD software in China soon”
Tesla is preparing to launch its advanced driving assistance software, Full Self-Driving (FSD), in China soon, Bloomberg reported on the 24th (local time). Citing sources, Bloomberg reported that Tesla will soon distribute FSD to Tesla vehicle owners in China for use on urban roads.
Tesla plans to tell Chinese customers that FSD can guide the car into ramps and intersections, recognize traffic signals, make turns, and change lanes and speeds. The feature will be available to customers in China who pay 64,000 yuan ($8,800), Bloomberg sources said.
Stellantis Unveils Its Own Autonomous Driving Technology STLA AutoDrive
Stellantis unveiled its first self-driving system, ‘STLA AutoDrive 1.0’, on the 20th (local time).
The STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system was introduced as a key axis of Stellantis’ technology strategy along with the ‘STLA Brain’ and ‘STLA Smart Cockpit’. In particular, this system is characterized by the application of autonomous driving level 3 technology according to the Society of Automotive Engineers in the United States. It provides ‘hands-free’ function that allows you to take your hands off the steering wheel and ‘eye-off’ function that allows you to take your eyes off the road ahead.
The STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system supports Level 3 autonomous driving at speeds of up to 60 km/h, helping save time in traffic jams in urban areas. Drivers of vehicles equipped with this autonomous driving system can engage in non-driving activities such as watching movies, checking emails, reading, or looking out the window while driving. This allows them to use their travel time more efficiently.
Sampo Group Unveils Autonomous Driving Robot Parking System ‘MP System’
Sampo Group announced on the 26th that its affiliate SP&Mobility has introduced the autonomous driving robot parking system, ‘MPSystem.’ It is an expansion into a new business utilizing the autonomous driving robot parking solution.
The MP system is a technology that combines a parking robot and a transport system in the form of an AGV (unmanned transport system). It can transport vehicles weighing more than 3 tons, and the 99mm-tall parking robot can move in all directions in a parking space within a building, and can also move vertically between floors. Sampo Group explained, “With a minimal facility structure, more parking spaces can be secured in the same space.”
FineOne Establishes OMM Mass Production System for OLED
Display components company FineOne announced on the 28th that it is accelerating the strengthening of its global competitiveness by expanding its business portfolio beyond the OLED display industry to the secondary battery and semiconductor fields.
FineOne’s F2 factory, which was completed in October last year in the Ansan Banwol National Industrial Complex, will begin full-scale mass production in March. The F2 factory, which was established with the goal of providing an “OLED one-stop total solution,” has established the only production system in Korea that encompasses the entire OMM (Open Metal Maks) pre-process to post-process. FineOne is also planning to complete the F2 factory “Phase 2” in October.
China, a fierce offensive in the premium TV market… Samsung is in hot pursuit and LG is overtaken
Samsung Electronics maintained its top spot in the premium TV market in the fourth quarter of last year, but LG Electronics (066570) lost its second place to China’s TCL. In terms of total TV shipments, TCL was found to be chasing Samsung Electronics’ market share by 2 percentage points (p).
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on the 27th, global TV shipments in the fourth quarter of last year recorded 61 million units, up 2% year-on-year.
Samsung Electronics maintained its top spot with a 16% market share, but China’s TCL (14%) is in hot pursuit. China’s Hisense (12%) and LG Electronics (10%) came in third and fourth, respectively.
Danawa “OLED Monitor Market Share Increases Due to Price Decline”
The share of monitors using OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels is increasing in the domestic PC monitor market. As OLED panel yields increase and competition among manufacturers intensifies, prices are falling, and more and more consumers are looking for them.
ConnectWave price comparison service Danawa announced this on the 25th based on the results of an analysis of OLED monitor market trends collected from April of last year to the 23rd of this month.
According to Danawa, the average purchase price of OLED monitors this month compared to April last year decreased by ▲445,450 won for 45-inch, ▲425,750 won for 32-inch, ▲289,340 won for 49-inch, ▲329,500 won for 34-inch, ▲241,250 won for 27-inch, and ▲125,310 won for 13-inch.
Source: kipost.net