AIDC Develops Potentially Promising Automotive AFS ECU

Taipei, May 8, 2008 (CENS)--Eyeing the lucrative automotive electronics business, Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC), the largest aircraft manufacturer in Taiwan, has been aggressively crossing into related fields and utilizing its aerospace technology to develop many advanced products.

The company has successfully developed a CAN (controller area network) Bus system and recently incorporated an electronic control unit (ECU) for the AFS (adaptive front-lighting system) into the automotive control/communication network system.

The AFS is a headlamp orientation control system that takes into account both steering angle and vehicle speed to orient headlamps to angles that optimize nighttime visibility. According to AIDC, AFS will see a market boom by 2009, when the European Union (EU) requires all automakers to adopt such safety system on new cars. The newly developed AFS ECU is expected to set up lucrative business opportunities for the aircraft maker.

In addition, AIDC claimed, its self-developed CANBus system has a very high integration capability and could match various ECUs to greatly simplify the past sophisticated wire harnesses, cut the weight of various systems, and prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI). AIDC's CANBus system has been chosen by a homegrown minivan model developed by local Yulon Group and AIDC will also supply the ECUs for the rear-door control system.

According to AIDC, at least two local first-tier auto-parts suppliers would tie up with AIDC in the AFS business. In the initial stage, the aircraft maker would supply at least 200,000 AFS ECUs per year.

A senior AIDC official pointed out that currently most automakers require a 20-year reliability period for items supplied by first-tier parts suppliers, but AIDC-produced ECUs are developed and manufactured with the most stringent aerospace standards so the reliability period could be extended to 25 years. Such high-standard products, he added, are expected to attract an increasing number of customers to contract AIDC to supply products and help cut costs. With limited production capacity, AIDC said, it may contract other local EMS (electronics manufacturing services) to overcome such shortage in the future.

In addition to automotive applications, AIDC said, the CANBus can be applied to a wide range of markets, including automation equipment, security systems, light aircraft steering system, and many others.