Intel is ready to start producing automotive chips for customers in six months
The automotive industry is faced with the need to start producing additional semiconductor components quickly, and the existing production capacity of traditional contractors is already overwhelmed. Intel hopes to offer its help within six months, the new head of the company said.
After taking over as CEO of Intel, Patrick Gelsinger announced his intentions to transform the corporation into a major contract manufacturer of semiconductor components. Enterprises being built in the USA and Europe will be involved in servicing third-party clients. As noted by Reuters, the near term involves the use of existing facilities in Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Israel, and Ireland to produce a certain range of automotive components ordered by third-party developers. With this initiative, the head of Intel spoke this week at a meeting at the White House. According to him, it will take up to six months to certify third-party developments for Intel’s existing technical processes, after which the products can be mass-produced. Negotiations with the largest suppliers of automotive components are already underway, although Intel management has not yet disclosed their names.
It is quite symbolic that the own specialized division of Intel in Israel, Mobileye, entrusts to produce components developed in-house by TSMC. For example, the EyeQ5 family of chips is manufactured using 7nm technology, which Intel has not yet mastered. Most automotive components do not require advanced lithography, so Intel should handle new orders just fine. The whole question is how quickly other people’s developments can be adapted to Intel technologies. The head of the company believes that it is possible to meet six to nine months.
