PCB market for automotive sector to double

Between 2006 and 2012 it is expected to double to over $5 billion by 2012. Environmental considerations will impact on electronics design and the materials used in vehicle manufacture. With the increasing electronic content of the average vehicle and the exacting future requirements substrates, are a key component to facilitate increase automotive vehicle functionality. This report reviews the in-vehicle applications driving developments in this market sector and investigates the requirements for a range of advanced and novel substrates from flexible and flex-rigid to multilayer, microvia, thick copper, low loss high performance and ceramic. The report will provide substrate technology roadmaps for key applications and forecast of demand for specific PCBs by type and by region. Some of the key issues to be addressed in this report are thermal dissipation, high density interconnect and the bus protocols which enable higher data rates to accommodate the increased functionality. Contributing to this functionality are telematics applications such as satellite navigation, location-based services, remote diagnostics, emergency assist, airbag deployment notification, internet access, mobile TV and Bluetooth. Other applications such as passenger comfort and infotainment place demands on interconnect in the cabin as well as under the hood and behind the dashboard. The plan by North America and Europe to tag all vehicles for distance tolling and emergency assist will further add to the electronic content of each vehicle. This study presents an up to date current assessment and future forecast of how the key substrate technologies will evolve. The research program involved BPA in interviewing substrate suppliers, end users, EMS and ODM companies, materials and process equipment developers. In addition to this, BPA has used its proven and reliable forecasting techniques to predict the future structure and size of this exciting sector.