No-one thinks about it when driving, but we all depend on it: The microelectronics in modern cars has made our mobility easier, more comfortable, safer and more environmentally-friendly.  For a long time now, semiconductors have been the biggest innovation drivers in car manufacturing – Reinhard Ploss (Infineon) is convinced of that.

On stage at IAA MOBILITY, Ploss emphasizes that digital innovation is set to become increasingly important, given the boom in electromobility and the development of autonomous driving. According to Ploss, the supplier industry is facing major challenges. Because the stability of fully-networked electronics, with all its sensors, computers, connections and interfaces, needs to satisfy the most exacting requirements. “No-one wants to regularly reboot the car’s computer,” Ploss explains. Higher customer expectations and the obligation to ensure maximum operating safety are closely tied together. “We need 100 percent confidence in our products.”

Ploss believes that manufacturers need to design their vehicles to be more user-friendly – even though they are becoming ever more complex. Because no-one is inclined to plow through manuals these days. Smart, redundant, and intelligent components are the future. That’s the only way to reconcile apparently contradictory goals with one another, such as greater drive power with a smaller environmental footprint.

Is microelectronics the game changer for vehicle design, supply chains, sales success, and our understanding of mobility? Reinhard Ploss answers this question with a categorical “yes”.