Making Cars and Going ‘Fabless’ | Next-Gen EV & AV
Colin Barnden, an analyst at Semicast Research, argues that new automotive entrants like Apple, Fisker, and Sony will adopt a 'fabless' model, designing vehicles while relying on contract manufacturers like Magna and Foxconn for production, mirroring the semiconductor industry's shift away from owned fabs. He suggests that the commoditization of EV 'skateboard' architectures lowers the barrier to entry, allowing companies with strong purchasing power, such as Apple, to bypass traditional manufacturing infrastructure and secure critical semiconductor supply. The discussion also covers the technical distinctions between EVs and autonomous vehicles (AVs), highlighting the roles of wide bandgap semiconductors like GaN and SiC, and promotes an upcoming EE Times conference on Next-Gen EV and AV technologies.