FAW will adopt ST’s microcontrollers (MCUs), Application Specific Standard Products (ASSPs) and smart drivers in their advanced research in automotive electronics platforms.

The joint lab will focus on advanced research in automotive electronics systems. Building on ST’s global automotive electronics experience and know-how, devices including PowerPC series 32-bit microcontrollers and EMS (Engine Management System) highly integrated chip solutions, reference designs and technical support, the ST/FAW lab will accelerate joint development of advanced automotive-electronics technologies such as ECU (Engine Control Units), TCU (Transmission Control Unit) and EPS (Electric Power Steering), which will ultimately add more value to FAW’s new-generation automobiles.

China is a huge market for automotive semiconductors and China’s automotive shipments have ranked No. 1 worldwide for three consecutive years. Today, automotive safety and comfort are attracting increased attention from consumers and the market for automotive electronics is also growing dramatically. The cooperation between FAW and ST will drive our innovation in automotive-electronics technologies to support our development of optimized products at competitive cost, while strengthening our technological competences by overcoming technical constraints.

—Jun Li, Deputy Chief Engineer and Director of FAW R&D Center

China-based FAW Group manufactures trucks, buses, special vehicles and sedans. Established in 1953, it is the oldest and largest automotive group in the country. In 2011, FAW Group sold more than 2 million vehicles.