Car manufacturing group Stellantis, the world’s number four, and Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn have announced the formation of SiliconAuto, an equally owned joint venture for developing and selling advanced semiconductors, particularly for electric vehicles.

Like Stellantis, SiliconAuto will be headquartered in the Netherlands and is expected to supply the automotive industry, including Stellantis and Foxconn, from 2026. The management team consists of executives from both founding partners.

The partners say the joint venture is the result of an agreement signed in December 2021 between Stellantis and Foxconn to develop the semiconductor family for automotive applications. Another joint venture between the two sides, Mobile Drive, is working on developing intelligent cockpits in parallel.

Delivery starts in 2026

SiliconAuto is intended by the two parent companies to become the semiconductor source for the growing number of computer-controlled functions and modules in cars, especially those needed in electric vehicles.

No further details about the chips are given in an accompanying memo. It simply states that they will be “tailor-made for the automotive industry’s new generation of vehicle platforms” and will be ready for delivery in 2026.

Foxconn is to contribute development capacity and know-how to the joint venture; Stellantis brings in its “deep understanding of different mobility needs worldwide”. In addition, the multi-brand conglomerate is to help SiliconAuto develop and deliver the capabilities needed for future battery-electric vehicles and multi-energy vehicle platforms.

Third parties welcome

Through SiliconAuto, Stellantis and Foxconn intend to meet their future semiconductor needs and seek third-party commercialization. Specifically mentioned is the use in Stellantis’ STLA Brain, a new software and electrical/electronic architecture from Stellantis with options for over-the-air upgrades.

It was already known that Stellantis wanted to bring further services into the car through cooperation with providers such as Foxconn and Amazon.

Steer-by-wire

Among the new AI-based assistance functions to be introduced in Stellantis models in the future is “steer-by-wire”: the steering wheel with a mechanical connection to the front wheels will be replaced by a “steer-by-wire” concept operated via a “hyper square control”, in which digital electrical controls replace mechanical connection elements.

From contractor to plain manufacturer

Foxconn unveiled three electric vehicles based on its MIH platform in 2022 and has announced more. The Taiwanese company also already has vehicle production capacities in the US. In Lordstown, Ohio, they have taken over the former GM plant of Lordstown Motors.

Since September, the Lordstown Endurance has been built there by Foxconn. The Fisker Pear is also to be produced at the plant in 2024.

Foxconn is pursuing further factory plans in Saudi Arabia and Thailand, among other places. Earlier this year, Foxconn also partnered with Infineon in SiC components for electric cars.