CoAsia Semi has struck a manufacturing deal with Germany’s Inova Semiconductors to produce ISELED automotive lighting chips, in a move aimed at strengthening South Korea’s position in the global automotive semiconductor supply chain.
The two companies said that they had signed a wafer production licence covering Inova’s ISELED 1.0 technology, which is used in premium vehicle interior lighting systems.
The agreement secures Inova a new supply base through Samsung Foundry as it seeks to broaden its global ISELED network, while granting Seoul-based CoAsia Semi the right to develop and manufacture ISELED-based automotive LEDs independently.
CoAsia Group has been working to build a vertically integrated ISELED supply chain by combining CoAsia Semi’s chip expertise with LED packaging and module manufacturing at ITSWELL, another group company. The companies said the partnership will improve supply efficiency for Korean automakers, including Hyundai and Kia, and reinforce the country’s domestic semiconductor ecosystem.
Robert Isele, Inova’s Chief Executive, said sharing ISELED technology with industry partners was vital to maintaining its role as an industry standard. “This is a further step to strengthen our resilient supply network for the ISELED technology, as required by our global customers,” he said.
DS Shin, Chief Executive of CoAsia Semi and Head of the Semiconductor Division at CoAsia Group, said the licence underlines the advantages of the group’s integrated structure. “Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our competitiveness in the domestic automotive semiconductor industry, and further expand our portfolio in this field,” he said.
CoAsia Semi also plans to extend the use of ISELED technology beyond vehicle interiors into areas such as smart lighting, micro-LED, and integrated display systems.
Founded in 1999, Munich-based Inova develops high-speed serial data communication and LED technologies for the automotive industry, including its APIX and ISELED platforms, which are supported by more than sixty companies in the ISELED Alliance.
