
Sung Chung, the CTO of chip reliability testing firm QRT, told TheElec that semiconductors used in automobiles must have equal reliability levels to their counterparts used in satellites and in space.
Automobile chips require high levels of soft error evaluation as automobile reliability is directly correlated to human lives.
Most semiconductor errors are soft errors, the CTO said. The satellite industry has developed semiconductor technology that are less affected by neutrons to avoid these errors, Chung said. In automobile chips, there needs to a soft error evaluation to develop highly reliable technology, he said.
If the semiconductor reliability in those used in space, airplanes, defense and intercontinental missiles were a 100%, those used in automobiles must reach a level of 90%, Chung said.
Automobiles must be made so that they can driven around safely for ten years, the CTO stressed.
Strengthened reliability will lead to less car accidents, he said, which will open doors for more elderly people to drive.