indie Semiconductor (Nasdaq: INDI), a leading Autotech solutions innovator, has launched an advanced automotive wireless power charging system-on-chip (SoC) that sets a new standard in integration. The groundbreaking iND87200 SoC simplifies and expedites the development of affordable in-cabin portable device charging designs based on the WPC ‘Qi’ standard.
As drivers and passengers increasingly rely on smartphones for navigation, entertainment, and communication while on the move, in-cabin charging has become essential. The global semiconductor-enabled in-car automotive wireless charger market, estimated at $1.3 billion in 2022, is projected to reach $9.5 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22%. The emerging Qi 2.0 standard, featuring the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), holds significant relevance for automotive designs, providing faster and more reliable charging by automatically aligning smartphones with the inductive charging coil, regardless of vehicle motion.
Fred Jarrar, vice president and general manager of indie Semiconductor’s Power and USB product lines, highlighted the significance of indie’s wireless charging solution, stating, “indie’s breakthrough automotive wireless charging solution reduces charging times and achieves unmatched levels of integration, cutting the external bill-of-materials by nearly 50% compared to existing discrete implementations. This turn-key architecture simplifies system complexity, enhances reliability, and reduces time to market for tier-1 suppliers. As a result, indie’s latest SoC will play a crucial role in enabling automotive OEMs to deliver faster, cost-effective, and dependable portable device charging, enriching the in-cabin user experience across a wide range of vehicles.”
The iND87200 SoC boasts a dual-core design, combining an Arm Cortex M4F processor with 2MB of embedded Flash and 256kB of SRAM, and a dedicated Arm Cortex M0 processor for the WPC stack. This innovative approach optimizes the allocation of SoC compute resources, allowing for the execution of user-specific software without timing and interrupt constraints related to the WPC stack. Furthermore, indie’s wireless charging solution integrates all the essential components, including power management, DC-DC converters, signal conditioning, WPC inverter drivers, power FETs, LED and fan drivers. Multiple serial interfaces such as CAN 2.0B, LIN, I2C, and UARTs provide versatile connectivity options to the vehicle and other peripherals.
The iND87200 SoC, qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 2 standards, has reached the production stage and is currently being sampled to customers. Alongside the SoC, indie Semiconductor is offering advanced application-oriented reference designs to expedite customer development and deployment processes.
The launch of indie Semiconductor’s unparalleled automotive wireless charging solution marks a significant milestone in the evolution of in-cabin charging, setting a new benchmark for efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers will now have the tools to deliver a seamless and engaging in-cabin user experience, from high-end luxury vehicles to entry-level cars.
