The transition from 12 V to 48 V in the automotive market can unlock opportunities to enhance vehicle features, improve driving range and fuel efficiency, and reduce wire harness cost and weight. 

“It’s not a question of if 48 V proliferates, but when,” said Daniel Gavora, staff electrical engineer at Panasonic Automotive Systems. “We’re developing solutions we have confidence in now, so we can be ready for mass adoption later.” (Note: Panasonic Automotive Systems is changing its company name and brand to Mobitera Inc. effective April 1, 2027.)

On top of that, as vehicle architecture evolves to accommodate higher voltages and power loads, listeners still expect a rich and immersive audio experience from their vehicle’s sound system. But as car audio suppliers prepare to establish a presence in audio for 48-V systems, they’re finding that component selection is more limited for 48-V solutions than 12 V.

And since 48-V audio integrated circuits, for the most part, don’t yet exist, their cost, performance, and implementation requirements are unknown. 

To facilitate automakers’ transition to this new architecture, Panasonic Automotive Systems has employed Texas Instruments’ gallium-nitride (GaN) technology to develop a premium audio system designed for 48-V systems that their engineers could adopt in a short timeframe while limiting design challenges.

Leveraging a Buck Converter with GaN FETs

Panasonic is using TI's integrated buck converter with GaN field-effect transistors (FETs) to develop its audio solution. This industry-first switching regulator is said to be a fully and vertically integrated solution with high thermal performance, faster switching speeds, and lower losses. Thus, it can operate at high temperatures while maintaining high power density and efficiency.

Because the controller and GaN power stage are integrated into a single device, Panasonic doesn't have to source components from multiple suppliers.

By implementing the integrated buck converter, Panasonic could use fewer parts to simplify their design without changing the footprint.

“With 48 V, component selection is more limited. The range of parts compatible with or optimized for 48 V is narrower than what’s available for 12 V. These components cost more, sometimes must be physically larger, and have reduced margin,” said Gavora. 

Because TI’s buck converter integrates GaN FETs into a single package, Panasonic could quickly adapt a previous design, needing only to replace the front-end power stage with the 48-V buck converter without using more PCB space than in a 12-V solution. Since the existing design was already mature, Panasonic was able to maintain the same characterization, performance, and confidence for automakers adopting its 48-V solution.

Why the Collaboration Matters

• Faster time-to-market: Automotive engineers can transition designs from 12 V to 48 V without redesigning the entire amplifier layout.
• Space and weight efficiency: 48-V systems reduce vehicle cable harness size and weight while managing high transient voltages.
• Integrated GaN technology: Utilizing TI's GaN buck converter improves power density, thermal management, and efficiency for high-end automotive audio.