Why are Automotive Grade MCUs increasingly scarce

Under the trend of automotive intelligence, automation, and electrification, the automotive electronic architecture is restructured, and the number of Automotive Grade MCUs and computing power requirements continue to increase.

The increase in the number is mainly reflected in the addition of new functions. The increase in computing power is mainly due to the upgrade of ADAS-related AI large computing power and intelligent cockpit functions; the integration of electrical architecture from distributed to functional domains and regional functions also requires high computing power. Automotive Grade MCUs to achieve high-speed interconnection between various domains.

Due to the rapid evolution of the traditional cockpit composed of separate units such as instrumentation, entertainment, and air conditioning to the cockpit domain + ADAS domain, central control large screens or through-type integrated screens are increasingly appearing in new car products for controlling air conditioning and entertainment navigation. Mechanical buttons with other functions are gradually replaced by smart buttons.
Concepts such as smart surfaces in automotive interiors, integration of plastic and electricity, and integration of electronics and interiors are also promoting the transformation of traditional physical key switches into smart switches or keys that are popular today.

In addition to bringing new user experience, smart buttons also show more and more obvious advantages in terms of small size and light weight of structural parts. The amount of touch MCUs in each vehicle will rapidly increase from the current average of 4-5 to 20-30.