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Electronics for energy efficient powertrain
The Auto Expo is the premium event for auto sector in India with global participants.
Session 1 of the conference focused on electronics for energy efficient powertrain.
Environmental concerns and driver comforts are major factors for deciding on next generation automotive power-train electronics. Most countries are championing cleaner and greener automobiles. Today’s high-end ECUs (Electronic Control Units) are combining these demands to create efficient engine management systems that would be driving tomorrow’s people’s cars.
In his presentation, Praveen Acharya, vice president, Semicon Solutions, KPIT Cummins Infosystems Ltd, said that powertrain was both complex and critical. Highlighting the automotive/ECU market, he added that while this market had matured in Japan, USA and Europe, big growth was likely in BRICs.
He highlighted some industry challenges for powertrain and electronics, which include:
Dr. A. Zahir, vice president, Bosch, discussed sustainable individual mobility. He focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions as well as technologies to support CO2-reductive comportment.
He highlighted some measures to manage vehicle energy. These include: combustion engine optimization, demand-responsive energy management, stop/start, hybrid, electric vehicles, components optimization, and waste heat recovery.
Dr. Zahir said global warming and population were rising. Hence, there was a strong increase of urbanization and energy hunger in the emerging countries. All of these challenge sustainable individual mobility.
Sustainable individual mobility can be achieved by reducing CO2 emissions and by increasing fuel economy. With a system approach based on enabling technologies from the Bosch portfolio, there is an enormous potential to reduce the CO2 emissions and increase fuel economy.
All of the required functionalities require cost effective electronics running complex control algorithms and diagnostics. The proliferation of smart and highly integrated.semiconductors will continue to accelerate in the automotive domain.
Suraj Mukundrajan, director Automotive Development, Infineon Technologies India Pvt Ltd, touched upon how semiconductors can enable fuel efficiency.
He highlighted certain global CO2 targets, wherein, the European Union (EU) proposes steep fines to cut car CO2 from 2012. For cars – 120gCO2/km by 2012 +10 g coming from biofuels. Now, the law is: 35mpg CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) by 2020 for cars.
Mukundrajan advised that emission reduction could be achieved by optimizing different areas in a car. The full spectrum of semiconductor technologies would be required to achieve energy efficiency in automotive electronics Less fuel consumption and cleaner engines will happen due to better performing MCUs.
He also highlighted the advantages of automotive hybridization. For instance, plug-in hybrid saves 40 percent to 60 percent energy compared to conventional combustion engines.
Already, the 2013 annual production will likely rise to over 3 million vehicles, which is about ten times the production of 2005 with 335.000 hybrid cars. Further, the semiconductor content in hybrid cars is much higher — $525-$900 as compared to conventional combustion engine cars — $225-$300.
Mukundrajan added that the CO2 target must be achieved. Although, the customer did not clearly realize the value today, the required technologies do exist. However, they are not included in the drive cycle in a huge manner, at least not yet!
Sandip Sarkar, head – Electrical Systems, Controls & Software Engineering, General Motors – Technical Center India, highlighted the huge opportunity for smart and green automobiles. While there was 70 million sales in 2007, in 2016, it is likely to touch 95 million in sales.
According to him, the automotive DNA of the future would include: electrically driven automobiles, energized by electricity and hydrogen, powered by electric motors, controlled electronically and ‘connected.’
Sarkar highlighted the sustainability benefits as well. These include:
The vision is to have electrically driven vehicles in the future – equipped with sensors, V2V, GPS, digital maps, electronic controls and actuators, etc. This will enhance roadway safety, besides providing real-time traffic management. Smart intersections would be part of the roadway of the future. All of these together, will enhance energy efficiency and reduced emissions.
Karnataka semicon policy very soon!
The government of Karnataka will be announcing a semiconductor policy very soon, according to Katta Subramanya Naidu, the minister for Excise, Information, BWWB, IT and BT, government of Karnataka, while delivering the opening address at the ISA Excite organized by the India Semiconductor Association.
Over the last several years, India has been a destination favored by almost all leading global semiconductor companies for setting up their development centers for semiconductors and embedded designs.
The size of the Indian semicon design industry is currently $6 billion across VLSI and board design, and embedded software, with the potential to be around $9 billion by 2009. There are nearly 200 companies and it employs over 130,000 professionals, all over India, with the potential to employ over 180,000 by 2009. The Indian semicon design industry has a CAGR of nearly 22 percent versus the global average of 7-8 percent.
Nearly 90 percent of the VLSI design work is done out of Bangalore alone. Appropriately, the ISA is headquartered in Bangalore, the heart of India’s chip industry. The minister said: “The conducive work environment policies and high-quality talent are the important attractions for both MNCs and Indian companies to set up shop here. We value the contribution of our technology leaders and engineers to build the economy of the state and make it a global leader. Bangalore is next only to Silicon Valley, California, in terms of the work done here.”
New centers likely
In future, the government of Karnataka wants to look at Mysore, Mangalore and Hubli as important centers to be developed. “These are centers of education with high quality and quantity of engineering talent. Our government is working on improving the connectivity to these cities to help attract investment there, as well as the expansion of companies from Bangalore to other towns within Karnataka,” he added.
Welcome the ISA initiative to launch Excite, a program for the semiconductor and ecosystem companies, he noted that it was a good platform to understand the technology trends and to collaborate with the right partner.
He said: “Karnataka today is at the crossroads. We have the direction and leadership of Hon’ble chief minister Yeddyruppa. He is extremely committed to the cause of making Karnataka as the most preferred destination for the semiconductor industry and electronics hardware manufacturing. My (BJP) government would be glad to extend any support for your business plans in the state.”
Semicon policy soon
The state government plans to announce a semiconductor policy in the very near future, actually. It has also earmarked land for a hardware technology park near the new airport (in Devanahalli).
The government is also thinking in the lines of finishing schools in PPP mode as the semiconductor industry is technology driven, and demands continuous training and re-skilling of the workforce.
Initiatives in Karnataka
The minister pointed out that his government has been taking several pro-active steps for further accelerating the growth of these sectors, as well as for their expansion in tier II and III cities. For these two sectors, the government proposes to identify and set apart exclusive IT/BT zones in Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Shimoga and Gulbarga.
Yeddyruppa, the state chief minister, has made an announcement of a number of initiatives to boost the growth and development of IT/BT. A bio-IT park on a 100-acre plot is proposed to be developed with private participation near Bangalore. IT parks, with private participation, would be set up in tier II and III cities. A massive IT city on the lines of the Electronics City near Bangalore is under consideration. Similarly, BT parks are proposed to be set up in Mangalore, Dharwad and Bidar. KEONICS, a government of Karnataka undertaking, will play a major role in development of the IT city, IT parks and computer literacy campaigns.
He added that the state government believes in formulating initiatives and policies in consultation with the industry. The existing Mahithi IT policy is also being revised with inputs from the Vision Group on IT headed by N.R. Narayana Murthy of Infosys.
“The state government would be happy to see IT and BT developments happening in tier II and III cities. We are taking steps to improve and upgrade the infrastructure in these cities. The CM is personally reviewing the construction and upgradation of airports in Mysore, Shimoga and Gulbarga, which will provide vital air connectivity, essential for the growth of industry and business,” he noted.
The NASSCOM-Kearney report has identified 43 potential locations in the country for IT development. The report also suggests measures to be taken to make these locations attractive for IT investments. Recommendations, such as improving the quality of education, imparting employable skills to the uneducated youth, improving infrastructure, particularly, air connectivity, etc., would be taken into consideration.
The minister said: “Our government would take all the necessary steps to ensure that there is no flight of investment to other states, and to make Karnataka the most attractive region for IT/BT investments. We want the semiconductor industry to grow and flourish in the state.”
Participative semicon policy likely
Elaborating on the proposed semiconductor policy for Karnataka, Ashok Kumar C. Manoli, principal secretary to the government, said: “When you look at India, it is software, and when you look at China, it is hardware. We should make a beginning and try and become the global capital for both hardware and software. We need to design such a policy that design activities continue and also facilitate manufacturing.”
He added: “We will come up with a very participative semiconductor policy. It will also look at addressing infrastructure requirements for manufacturing setups.” According to him, the hardware industry is the foundation for the entire revolution, which the government is looking at. He requested all companies present at the ISA Excite to participate at the forthcoming BangaloreIT.com event, and added that the state government was committed and fully geared up to deliver.
Announcing the ISA Excite initiative, Sanjeev Keskar, country sales manager, Freescale Semiconductor India Pvt Ltd, said: “We need to collaborate with the right partner. The ISA felt the need to arrange an ecosystem meet. Telecom and healthcare are the two drivers of importance.” The ISA has plans to take Excite to other cities too, possibly, New Delhi, focusing on industrial and consumer.
The one-day ISA Excite event had an exhibition running simultaneously, featuring about 40 companies. These included ARM, Farnell, Ittiam Systems, Broadcom, Cosmic Circuits, Windriver, Wipro, HCL, AMDL, LSI Logic, TI, NXP, Cisco, Synopsys, SemIndia, Freescale, Open Silicon, MindTree, AMD, Analog Devices, RFMD, Cir-Q-Tech, NewEra, STPI, etc.
Bangalore not cowed down by serial blasts, ISA Excite a success
Friends, I am really pained to report that Bangalore has been rocked by eight-nine serial blasts of low intensity today! As per the TV channels, there have been two deaths and several people injured. This is extremely unfortunate!
Countrymen and women, please join me in condemning this dastardly act of the serial blasts in Bangalore today.
I would also like to add a message sent to me by a good friend, Xavier, which says: Bangalore, don’t be cowed down!
This is a small gesture that goes out to send the right signal to those who are keen to take away our freedom, our right to live peacefully for whatever their ideology is!
“Let our thoughts and prayers be with the near and dear ones of those killed and injured in these blasts.”
Those who indulge in such activities are cowards. While such acts are meant to create panic, Bangalore has stood firm! Yes, people across the city, in various offices and other establishments, left home early, more so as a precautionary measure, telephone lines were jammed for some time, and there were the usual traffic jams — largely due to the rains. However, there has been little panic. Yes, there may have been panic in the affected areas for some hours post the blasts.
In fact, I wasn’t even aware of the blasts as I was attending a wonderful event on semiconductors — the ISA Excite — with a colleague, Ravinder, at Leela Palace. We only learned of the blasts on reaching office! Interestingly, there were little signs of panic on the roads as we were driving back to the office! Well, I’ve had quite a few phone calls and messages, thereafter! Am sure, it’s been the same for nearly everyone in the city.
The country has gone on high alert since the blasts, as these can actually happen anywhere! However, India is a strong country, made up of very strong-minded people. Such acts of cowardice will not stop the normal pace of life. At best, normal life could be disrupted for a few hours.
Of course, a lot needs to be done to secure the IT capital of India, and possibly the world. It is hoped that the security agencies in India would do everything within their capability to ensure that such acts are not repeated. The damage could have been far greater, and some even wonder, whether there is some sort of a hidden message behind today’s serial blasts.
Going back to the ISA Excite event, organized by the India Semiconductor Association, it was really heartening to learn that the Karnataka state will soon have its own semiconductor policy. I will be blogging more on this later tonight or tomorrow.
I’d also like to mention that the ISA Excite event was a very strong indication that the Indian semiconductor industry is very healthy and doing well, although, we may not yet have a wafer IC fab, and there are infrastructure challenges to mount.
Nearly everyone from the Indian semiconductor fraternity was present at the show. I am sure, several people heard about the blasts, and expressed their disgust at the happenings. However, the show went on! When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It was a message from the Indian semiconductor industry that even in tough times, it will move forward.
The show must always go on! And successfully!
Pradeep Chakraborty 