The Netherlands’ government is reportedly planning new restrictions on exports of semiconductor technology. The restrictions will obviously impact ASML’s litho equipment, and – according to the report – will also affect DUV systems. More updates included in this week’s roundup concern automotive applications, foundry results, and upcoming European conferences.
Automotive updates: Ford, imec, proteanTecs
Ford Motor Company has established Latitude AI, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on developing automated driving systems. The move comes just a few months after the company shut down Argo AI, a self-driving technology unit that Ford ran in collaboration with Volkswagen. Latitude employs about 550 employees formerly of Argo AI and is headquartered in Pittsburgh – with additional engineering hubs in Dearborn, Michigan, and Palo Alto, California.
Belgian research center Imec has developed a digitally calibrated charge-pump phase-locked loop that can generate high-quality frequency-modulated continuous-wave signals for mmWave radars at low power consumption. The novel PLL is a critical building block for future short-range automotive (in-cabin and out-of-cabin) and industrial radar applications.
