雖然大眾更期盼汽車感測裝置可帶來諸如自動停車、甚至自動駕駛等高階功能,但在一場近日于瑞士舉行的座談會上,與會專家卻一致認為,包括環(huán)保、安全等方面與世俗法規(guī)較相關的應用,才會是短期內(nèi)推動車用微機電系統(tǒng)(MEMS)傳感器需求持續(xù)成長的動力。
這場在歐洲MEMS產(chǎn)業(yè)高峰會議(MEMS Executive Congress Europe)期間舉行的座談會,也特別提到了最新公布的標準規(guī)格ISO26262將為車用MEMS組件制造商所帶來的沖擊;參與座談會的一線汽車零組件供貨商Continental代表指出,因應新標準,
MEMS廠商如果想打入汽車產(chǎn)業(yè)供應鏈,必須布建更復雜的組件設計流程。
ISO26262其實也適用于更廣泛的硅芯片與軟件,只不過因為
MEMS傳感器在眾多安全性系統(tǒng)中扮演重要角色,因此該標準與MEMS組件特別相關。
在座談會上,市場研究機構IHS iSuppli分析師Richard Dixon分享了目前車用MEMS市場概況;他指出,汽車市場在2008~2009年之間已經(jīng)復蘇,而車用MEMS傳感器市場在2010年成長28%,2011年再度成長15%、達到22億美元規(guī)模。他估計,在2010~2015年之間,車用MEMS市場將以每年10%的速度擴張,在2015年達到30億美元規(guī)模。
Dixon指出,常見的MEMS傳感器包括汽車動力傳動系統(tǒng)(powertrain)與胎壓監(jiān)測系統(tǒng)(e pressure monitoring system)運用的壓力傳感器,以及安全氣囊系統(tǒng)運用的加速度計、電子車身穩(wěn)定控制系統(tǒng)(electronic stability control,ESC)運用的陀螺儀。他表示,IHS iSuppli已看到36種車用MEMS組件應用,不過這些應用的成長,將來自各國法規(guī)所帶動的需求。
例如在 2012年,日本將開始實施一項關于電子車身穩(wěn)定控制系統(tǒng)的法規(guī),可望帶動相關需求成長;此外中國預計在接下來三年,開始實施安裝胎壓監(jiān)測系統(tǒng)的規(guī)定。
IHS iSuppli 預測,全球汽車銷售量將由2012年的7,000萬臺,在2015年增加至1億臺;在此成長趨勢之下,MEMS傳感器有機會扮演監(jiān)控汽車污染排放量,以及協(xié)助汽車廠商降低車輛污染排放量的角色。
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MEMS供貨商VTI Technologies ──該公司尚處于被日商村田制作所(Murata Manufacturing)收購的程序中──交通運輸業(yè)務執(zhí)行副總裁Hannu Laatikainen提供了更具未來感的遠見;他指出,MEMS應該會為汽車帶來像人類一樣的感官系統(tǒng):“我們有眼睛與耳朵,所以汽車應該配備攝影機與麥克風,還有對摩擦力(胎壓)、燃料的感測能力;汽車甚至應該裝個鼻子?!?響應Laatikainen的發(fā)言, IHS iSuppli 的Dixon表示,法國已經(jīng)提出立法需求,建議強制車輛裝置酒精傳感器──這應該可以算是汽車的“鼻子”吧?
本文下一頁:新標準為MEMS制造商帶來新挑戰(zhàn)
相關閱讀:
• 2011消費與移動MEMS廠商TOP10:排名與實力
• 完善供應鏈讓MEMS產(chǎn)業(yè)重振雄風
• 自動駕駛傳感器市場出現(xiàn)劇烈增長GRqesmc
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結束了以上天馬行空的未來想象,隨后
飛思卡爾半導體(Freescale Semiconductor)全球汽車業(yè)務策略經(jīng)理Marc Osajda的談話內(nèi)容,則是讓與談者與現(xiàn)場聽眾又回到現(xiàn)實世界;他指出,汽車制造商的嚴苛要求,讓車用MEMS市場面臨越來越多壓力,那些要求包括縮減組件尺寸、功耗以及成本。
特別是成本問題,Osajda指出,由于汽車市場的成長動力逐漸轉(zhuǎn)向新興市場,因此汽車零件的成本也必須大幅降低,才能符合在那些市場整車定價策略。
不過一線汽車零組件供貨商Continental集團旗下的Continental Teves感測系統(tǒng)與汽車底盤暨安全部門總經(jīng)理Bernhard Schmid不太同意這一點;他認為,市場需要的是可改善交通安全的車對車(car-to-car)或是車對基礎設施(car-to- infrastructure communication)通訊技術,以及更堅固、敏感度不用太高,但成本較低的MEMS傳感器。
接下來Osajda與Schmid 的對話,透露了ISO26262標準可能帶來的沖擊;該標準是在 2011年11月公布,是為了減輕車輛系統(tǒng)性之隨機故障問題所引發(fā)的效應,提供相關規(guī)格要求、處理程序與解決方案。
ISO26262標準要求汽車零件開發(fā)商在產(chǎn)品開發(fā)過程中,提出風險評估報告,以及避免功能性系統(tǒng)產(chǎn)品出現(xiàn)系統(tǒng)性與隨機故障問題的處理步驟文件。這意味著可能會需要有像是備援系統(tǒng)(redundant system)的方案。
由于該標準將汽車的安全完整性等級(safety integrity levels)分為A、B、C、D四級,Osajda認為是以系統(tǒng)級觀點來看車輛的安全性:“這是屬于系統(tǒng)架構的問題?!辈贿^Schmid卻有完全不同的解讀,指出此新標準意味著:“MEMS制造商若要進軍汽車應用領域,必須要改變他們開發(fā)與生產(chǎn)的方式?!?Schmid指出,ISO26262標準的主要規(guī)定之一,是廠商必須在MEMS組件的設計過程中提供相關文件,證明安全性的因素已經(jīng)被考量進去以及有進行過相關評估;如此才能通過第一線汽車零件供貨商這關,然后才是車廠。
據(jù)業(yè)界消息,有部分車廠是自2011年初就開始要求遵守ISO26262標準,但有多數(shù)芯片與軟件是在標準公布之前開發(fā)的,當然不符合該標準。Schmid提醒,如果MEMS廠商希望將產(chǎn)品賣給一線汽車零組件業(yè)者,必須要響應這個狀況。
其他值得注意的趨勢包括,未來視覺傳感器可能會取代MEMS慣性傳感器做為影像傳感器使用,并搭配能更妥善分析診斷前方撞擊情況、協(xié)助避開危險的軟件;不過針對MEMS供貨商的疑慮,Schmid特別澄清表示,以Continental汽車系統(tǒng)為例,所運用的傳感器非常豐富,MEMS廠商還是有很多商機空間:“就像是人類感官,眼睛是不會去搶耳朵的工作的?!?編譯:Judith Cheng
本文授權編譯自EE Times,版權所有,謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
參考英文原文:Panel: Safety standard could disrupt MEMS in automotive,by Peter Clarke
相關閱讀:
• 2011消費與移動MEMS廠商TOP10:排名與實力
• 完善供應鏈讓MEMS產(chǎn)業(yè)重振雄風
• 自動駕駛傳感器市場出現(xiàn)劇烈增長GRqesmc
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Panel: Safety standard could disrupt MEMS in automotive
Peter Clarke
ZURICH, Switzerland – While there is much anticipation of high-end functions for sensors in automobiles, to aid self-parking and even autonomous vehicles, a panel of experts agreed it was likely to be the more mundane legal mandates, such as environmental pollution and safety, that would keep demand for automotive MEMS sensors climbing for the foreseeable future.
However, the panel, convened at the MEMS Executive Congress Europe held here on Tuesday (March 20), also highlighted the impact that a recently published standard, ISO26262, is going to have on makers of automotive MEMS. MEMS makers are going to have to implement more complex design procedures for devices if they wish to carry on selling in to the automotive supply chain, according to a panelist from automotive tier-1 supplier Continental.
ISO26262 also applies more generally to silicon and software although the role of MEMS sensors in a number of safety-critical systems makes the standard particularly relevant to MEMS components.
The general automotive MEMS scene was set by panelist Richard Dixon, MEMS analyst with market research firm IHS iSuppli. He said the automotive market had recovered well from the stall of 2008-2009. He said the market for automotive MEMS sensors had grown 28 percent in 2010 and, more surprisingly, by 15 percent in 2011 to a value of $2.2 billion. For the period 2010 to 2015 the industry is entering a faster growth phase with a CAGR of 10 percent to take the market to $3 billion in 2015, he added.
Dixon named the usual MEMS sensor suspects, pressure sensors in the powertrain and tire pressure monitoring system, accelerometers in the airbag safety system and gyroscopes in electronic stability control (ESC) systems. He said that iSuppli has spotted 36 design slots for MEMS in the automobile but that growth would come as more regions adopted mandates that demanded these slots be filled. In 2012 Japan is adopting an ESC mandate that will drive some growth while China is expected to require TPMS over the next three years.
Meanwhile automobile purchasing worldwide is set to increase from 70 million cars in 2012 to 100 million cars in 2015. In terms of growth beyond that it is likely to be sensors to monitor and help automotive companies cut down on emissions, Dixon said.
Hannu Laatikainen, executive vice president responsible for transportation business at MEMS vendor VTI Technologies Oy, in the process of being acquired by Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., was more visionary. He argued that MEMS should provide an automobile with a sensory system like humans. "We have eyes and ears. We should have cameras and microphones, we should measure friction [traction of the tires], we should taste the fuel. We should even have a nose for the car." In response, Dixon pointed out that it is now a legal requirement in France to carry a breathalyzer in the car.
Automotive panelists at MEMS Executive Congress Europe held in Zurich, Switzerland. From left to right: Bernhard Schmid of Continental, Marc Osajda of Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Hannu Laatikainen of VTI Technologies and Richard Dixon of IHS-iSuppli.
Extra demands on MEMS makers
It was left to Marc Osajda, global automotive strategy manager at Freescale Semiconductor Inc., to bring the panelists and the audience down to earth. He made the point that although the market might increase the pressure would come from automobile makers to do all the difficult things; to reduce size, reduce power consumption and reduce cost. The latter was particularly true as much of the expansion of the market would be coming in emerging markets and costs would have to be reduced significantly to hit car price targets.
Bernhard Schmid, manager of sensor systems and the technology center for chassis and safety division of tier one supplier Continental Teves AG, didn't disagree on this point. But his wish list included car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communications, for enhanced traffic safety, as well as more robust, less sensitive, lower cost MEMS sensors.
There followed a dialog between Freescale's Osajda and Conti's Schmid that explored the likely impact of ISO26262. The standard, published in November 2011, provides requirements, processes and methods to mitigate the effects of systematic and random faults. The standard requires proof of risk assessment and documentation of the steps taken to avoid systematic and random errors in functional systems in product development. This might include the inclusion of such things as redundant systems.
Osajda's initial position was that the standard, with its classifications of A, B, C and D levels of automotive safety integrity levels, takes a system-level view of safety in road vehicles. "It is a system architecture thing," he said.
Schmid's interpretation was different. "Sales into automotive requires that MEMS makers change the way they develop and manufacture," he said. One of the main requirements is the documentation assembled during the MEMS design process to prove that safety has been considered and the measures that have been taken and that can be passed downstream to the tier-1 and on to the automobile maker.
Some car makers have reportedly been asking for ISO26262 compliance since early 2011 although most silicon and software, developed before the publishing of the standard, is inherently non-compliant. Schmid said that MEMS makers must respond if they want to sell to tier-1s.
Other concerns raised from the floor included that visual sensors would replace inertial MEMS as image sensors together with software can be better at analyzing dangerous situations ahead of impacts and helping with avoidance. Schmid tried to relieve some concern by making it clear there is room for a wealth of sensors in Continental systems "Think of your human senses. Your eyes didn't cannibalize your ears."
責編:Quentin