UMC's Automotive revenue doubles on customer adoption

Full-year 2015 revenue for automotive ICs at UMC is expected to be hundreds of millions of US dollars. The explosive growth has primarily been fueled by top-tier customers migrating devices from consumer grade products to more stringent grade 1 and grade 0 semiconductors that are used for critical automotive functions, as well as increased demand from IDM and fabless auto semiconductor companies. "As customer gain increased confidence in UMC's automotive manufacturing capabilities, we are committed to continuously improving and enhancing our foundry automotive solutions," said Po Wen Yen, CEO of UMC. "With our comprehensive UMC AutoSM technology platform consisting of AEC-Q100 qualified technology solutions and robust manufacturing that meets rigorous ISO TS-16949 automotive quality standards, UMC is well-positioned to further enable auto chip designers to take advantage of the increasing silicon content in vehicles." UMC manufactures semiconductors used in automotive applications for customers that include Japan-based suppliers such as Shindengen, TDK Corporation, New Japan Radio and Ricoh Electronic Devices, as well as other global companies in the U.S. and Europe. Products include a wide range of applications ranging from infotainment, heads-up display (HUD), advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and millimeter wave radar to essential engine, drivetrain, power management and navigation functions.