Strategy Analytics gauges 32-bit MCU market

In its Automotive Electronics service report, “Automotive Microcontrollers: Market Demand and Product Directions,” Strategy Analytics predicts that 32-bit devices will account for 58% of the $7.6 billion automotive microcontroller market by 2015.

The firm estimates the current automotive MCU market at about $5.5 billion. Freescale, Renesas Technology, and NEC Electronics are the top 3 suppliers, with a combined share of 60%.

“Microcontroller vendors need a good position in the 32-bit arena to ensure longer term success in the automotive market since it is the fastest growing processor area,” said Chris Webber, VP Automotive Practice. “Demand for 8-bit and 16-bit devices will continue and the particular performance and application specific requirements of the automotive sector means that some vendors could prosper here through adopting niche strategies.”

Mark Fitzgerald, Senior Analyst, Automotive Practice, said that embedded powertrain control will continue to be a primary driver of high-end automotive microcontroller performance and functional development. “Going forward, multi-sensor advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) applications will increasingly emerge as high performance processor drivers. As a result, multi-core designs will increase for greater computational performance and for the ability to provide lower device power consumption.”