Current Status of and Future Prospects for Automotive Electronics

The current status of automotive electronics in Japan and the prospects for the ’80s are described in this paper. Semiconductor technologies are focused on first. Such technologies have been the greatest driving force for progress in automotive electronics, and will undoubtedly continue to be so in the future. The cost-performance ratio of semiconductor systems will increase several tenfold this decade. Highly integrated CMOS LSIs will replace other LSIs in automobiles, because they are better suited to the severe conditions found in automotive systems. New solid-state sensors and actuators using new materials and technologies will be developed in this decade. Microprocessor control systems will spread to most makes and models of cars in this decade. Control technology will become more sophisticated. Some on-vehicle systems will be linked to each other and on- and off-vehicle networks will be developed.