- Sharing research and development know-how and strengthening technical competitiveness with partners
Hyundai Mobis' vehicle semiconductor research and development process has acquired the ISO 26262 certification, the international standard for functional safety. It is even the highest grade.
This certification is significant as it is recognized internationally for all processes from semiconductor design to quality verification beyond specific product units.
In the future, Hyundai Mobis will automatically secure the same level of reliability for vehicle semiconductors designed through standardized research and development procedures as those that have been certified by product units. Hyundai Mobis aims to actively share these achievements and know-how with key partners while also leading the expansion of the domestic vehicle semiconductor ecosystem.
On the 21st, Hyundai Mobis announced that it obtained ISO 26262 from Exida, a renowned international certification body for automotive functional safety and cybersecurity. ISO 26262 is an international standard for preventing safety incidents in vehicle electrical and electronic systems, which has been applicable to vehicle semiconductors since 2018.
Semiconductors responsible for brain functions, such as microcontrollers (MCU) or application processors (AP), typically receive certification as individual products; however, it is reported that obtaining certification for the entire research and development platform, as in the case of Hyundai Mobis, is quite rare and very challenging. This requires not only infrastructure and facilities but also various capabilities including crisis management and the cultivation of researchers' awareness of functional safety.
In particular, Hyundai Mobis received the highest D-level grade in the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) for ISO 26262 certification, which is the most challenging among the levels. ASIL is divided into four levels from A to D, with D-level representing the highest grade that can prevent safety incidents with a reliability of over 99%.
Since acquiring the vehicle semiconductor business from Hyundai Autron in 2021, Hyundai Mobis has begun to generate production results of semiconductors it has designed itself starting this year. This has been supported by a semiconductor research and development environment established at a top-tier level in the industry.
Hyundai Mobis expects that the know-how secured through this certification will enhance the competitiveness of its self-designed semiconductors and the controllers and core components equipped with them. As the significance of semiconductors is increasingly emphasized, clients also prefer component manufacturers with standard certification systems. Hyundai Mobis has secured a favorable position in the competitive landscape of global parts manufacturers due to the effects of this certification.
Lee Hee-hyun, executive director of Hyundai Mobis' system semiconductor division, said, "With this certification, we have secured a strategic foundation in the field of vehicle semiconductors that determines future mobility competitiveness," and added, "We will take the lead in establishing a research and development environment emphasizing functional safety through technology localization and partnership strengthening with major domestic and foreign corporations."
Currently, Hyundai Mobis is independently developing a total of 16 types of semiconductors, including integrated semiconductors for airbags, power semiconductors for eco-friendly vehicles, integrated semiconductors for motor control, and AVN (audio, video, navigation) power semiconductors. The quantity of semiconductors produced this year alone exceeds 20 million.
Research and development is ramping up for a total of 11 types of next-generation semiconductors, including battery management systems, lamps, communication semiconductors, and network System on Chip (SoC), with the goal of completion within three years. To achieve this, Hyundai Mobis is also collaborating with major domestic foundry companies.
Hyundai Mobis plans to actively communicate and share the know-how secured through the functional safety certification with major domestic and foreign partners. Along with this, it will also proceed to expand its independent domestic vehicle semiconductor ecosystem.
The strategy is to collectively enhance the technological competitiveness of the domestic vehicle semiconductor market, which has lagged behind North America, Europe, and Japan, with partners and to take the lead in raising external credibility and awareness in the global market.
In fact, Hyundai Mobis is increasing collaboration cases with major domestic semiconductor companies. It has established a joint lab with global technology, a semiconductor design specialist, this year and has achieved research and development results for next-generation smart ambient lamp semiconductors. It has also completed the development of integrated driving semiconductors with Dongwoon Anatech and is expected to begin mass production soon.
Hyundai Mobis is solidifying partnerships with leading domestic foundry companies and expanding collaboration in areas such as process optimization. It also plans to strengthen cooperation with design houses that serve as intermediaries between fabless and foundries, semiconductor packaging, design, verification, and research institutions.
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