[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] CoAsia is entering the global eco-friendly vehicle (electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) LED market through collaboration with the U.S. company Microchip Technology (hereafter Microchip).
On the 20th, CoAsia announced that it is jointly developing LED solutions such as dedicated charging indicators and interior mood lighting solutions for eco-friendly vehicles with Microchip. CoAsia utilizes the completed smart RGB (red, green, blue) LED solution, while Microchip is responsible for developing the integrated MCU (microcontroller unit) chip. They are currently in the final stage before mass production of sample products.
The products developed by the two companies apply the ISELED (global smart LED alliance) standard using the LIN (Local Interconnect Network) communication method compatible with the CAN (Controller Area Network) communication method applied inside vehicles. While existing eco-friendly vehicle LED solutions display only one color selected by the occupant, the newly developed product uses IC (integrated circuit) embedded RGB to enable various color implementations.
ISELED is a global alliance established for future vehicle LED solutions. It includes a total of 33 global companies such as CoAsia, NXP Semiconductors, and Microchip, with CoAsia being the only Korean company among them.
Microchip, a Nasdaq-listed company located in Arizona, USA, is a global leader in system semiconductors and flash IP (intellectual property) solutions. It holds a portfolio of automotive semiconductor solutions including MCU, MPU (microprocessor), ▲interface and connectivity ▲embedded controllers ▲high-speed networking and video, with a market capitalization of approximately $28 billion (about 32 trillion KRW).
A CoAsia official stated, “It is meaningful to undertake this global project with the technology and network accumulated over more than 20 years in the LED field,” adding, “We expect to enhance corporate value by entering the rapidly growing eco-friendly vehicle market.”
He continued, “As cars are increasingly recognized not just as simple ‘means of transportation’ but as spaces for consuming various content and culture, the importance of infotainment systems is emerging,” emphasizing, “We will actively conduct research and development to achieve additional results in the eco-friendly vehicle sector.”
Meanwhile, according to research provider BloombergNEF, global electric vehicle sales are expected to increase from 1.7 million units this year to 10 million units by 2025. The domestic electric vehicle market grew nearly tenfold in four and a half years, from 10,855 units in 2016 to 114,318 units as of July this year.
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