Every two years, the world’s electronics industry flocks to the
Bavarian city of Munich (Fig. 1). This year’s electronica 2008,
a festival of electronics technology, provides a rich source of
news and views as well as hard technical data on new technologies
and their applications. It’s a mixture of technology forums,
conferences, and a huge exhibition area occupying 14 very large
halls (Fig. 2).
Detailed technical papers will cover automotive electronics,
wireless technology, micronano developments, green technology
strategies, and an entirely new component technology with the
Greek god-like name of Hybridica—the combining of metal
and plastic to create hybrid components. In addition to the
technology on display, electronica 2008 serves as a melting pot
of informed opinion about how the world electronics industry
is trading.
With this in mind, the organizer of the exhibition, Messe
Muenchen International (MMI), has set a buoyant market
tone by releasing some positive figures for the international
semiconductor industry in 2008. A collection of market
researchers has forecast a growth rate of between 5% and 8%
for the worldwide semiconductor market this year, with the
German Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association
(ZVEI) anticipating a growth rate of 5.1%.
Technology on The Road
Electronics for automobiles will have its own Focus Area in
Hall A6. There also will be an electronica Automotive Conference
entitled “Electronics Meets Automotive.” The automotive
market represents a growth application area for electronics, as
well as a stable one. That’s because it avoids some of the erratic
tendencies of markets like the communications sector.
In 2007, the standard passenger vehicle incorporated an
average of $295 worth of semiconductor components. By 2015,
that amount will rise to $375. Last year, the global market for
automotive semiconductors achieved a volume of about $20
billion, and it’s expected to escalate to $30 billion by 2015.
About 1200 companies are slated to present products and
applications relating to automobile electronics at the show.
The German Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’
Association (ZVEI) is supporting the electronica Automotive
Conference Sessions. This program was developed jointly
by MMI and the Conference Program Committee, whose
members include BMW AG, Infineon Technologies, Chrysler
AG, Brose Fahrzeugteile, TRW Automotive, Valeo, Freescale
Semiconductor, and Tyco Electronics.
These sessions will be held in the Munich International
Congress Center (ICM), starting Nov. 10, one day before the
electronica show kicks off. With 10 contributions of 30 minutes
each, the first day of the conference will be devoted to automotive
developments and strategies. For example, Ian Riches of
Strategy Analytics will look at “Ultra Low Cost Cars— Opportunities
and Challenges” (Fig. 3a).
Hans-Peter Feustel of Continental Automotive will examine
the demands that hybrid vehicles place on electronics in a talk
entitled “Demands and Realization of Automotive Power Electronics.”
Fabio Marchiò of STMicroelectronics will cover “Semiconductor
Trends in Automotive Markets.” Tsutomu Miki, general
manager of Renesas Technology, will describe semiconductors
of the future during “i-Car—Semiconductor Contributions for
the New Era of Car Applications” (Fig. 3b).
Manufacturers and providers of automotive electronics, along
with their customers from the automobile industry, will convene
in Hall A6. In the Focus Area, exhibitors will present products
and technologies, including information and communication, bus
systems, transport information technology, drive by wire, safety
systems, and engine and chassis management systems.
Exhibitors will include Cherry, Heraeus, Robert Bosch, Huntsman
Advanced Materials, Lackwerke Peters, Preh, Vishay Electronic,
Altera, TDK Electronics Europe, Littelfuse Automotive,
Provertha, OmniVision Technologies, Fujitsu Components
Europe, Hirschmann Car Communication, and AB Elektronik.
Wireless Congress: systems & Applications
Experts from the field of wireless technology will meet at the
ICM on Nov. 12 and 13 for the fifth “Wireless Congress: Systems
& Applications.” Developers, system designers, technology
decision-makers, and systems managers can choose from 50 presentations
on tap.
Forum Programs
The seven forums that will run at electronica 2008 include topics
like financing startups, embedded software technologies, careers
in electronics, energy efficiency, component distribution challenges,
and product traceability and technology piracy. On the
regulatory front, a special forum will look at REACH, the EU
Regulation on the “Registration, Evaluation and Authorization
of Chemicals.”
Speaking of chemicals and hazardous materials, the “greening”
of the electronics industry remains a hot topic, now that compliance
with international regulations is a legal obligation. But what
other contributions can the electronics industry make to prevent
environmental damage?
The International CEO Round Table will examine and discuss
the efforts being made by the semiconductor industry to protect
the planet on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in Hall A2. Peter Bauer of Infineon
Technologies, Brian L. Halla of National Semiconductor,
Carlo Bozotti of STMicroelectronics, and Rich Beyer of Freescale
Semiconductor all will discuss how their companies are contributing
to environmental protection.
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