As the automotive industry accelerates its evolution toward Intelligence, Electrification, and Connectivity, intelligent driving systems impose higher demands on the stable power supply, high-speed communication, precise sensing, and long-term reliability of underlying electronic components.
As an electronic component manufacturer, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Murata) primarily supplies capacitors, inductors, thermistors, crystal oscillators, sensors, and high-reliability antennas for automotive applications, having established automotive-grade component solutions for intelligent driving.
Meanwhile, the low-altitude economy and embodied intelligence are emerging as new directions for cross-industry integration. Against this backdrop, Murata is seeking to extend the component technologies and quality management expertise accumulated in the automotive sector to emerging mobile applications such as humanoid robots and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, achieving technology homology and reuse.
At the recently held SAECCE exhibition, Murata shared with eefocus reporters the company's latest product progress, selection trends, and actual market response in the fields of automotive, robotics, and the low-altitude economy.
Image | Murata booth at SAECCE; Source: EE Times China
Hardware Solutions for Automotive Circuits and Market Response
Under the architecture of intelligent driving and Software Defined Vehicles (SDV), the increasing computing power of System-on-Chip (SoC) units poses greater challenges to power stability and signal transmission.
Staff members at the venue told reporters that Murata offers corresponding hardware solutions focused on stable power supply, high-speed communication, and signal conduction.
- MLCC Maintains Stable Supply
To address SoC power supply challenges, Murata provides MLCC (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor) solutions covering both chip package interiors and motherboard applications. The product portfolio includes standard small-size high-capacity MLCCs, three-terminal low-ESL (Equivalent Series Inductance) capacitors, as well as low-profile, low-ESL wide-inverted-type capacitors and four-terminal capacitors, used for decoupling, smoothing, and reducing power impedance. For 800V high-voltage platforms, Murata can provide a complete matrix including safety-certified, smoothing, resonant, and absorption capacitors.
Notably, during the interview, numerous procurement personnel from downstream manufacturers visited to inquire about MLCC supply status. In response, Murata staff revealed that the company is strengthening long-term MLCC supply capability through balanced capacity expansion across multiple global bases, while continuing to advance technical demonstrations and customer support for product lines such as inductors and sensors.
- PoC Shipment Volume Has Been Significant Over the Past Two Years
With improved performance of ADAS and IVI systems, the high-speed nature of automotive networks imposes stricter requirements on signal transmission and electromagnetic compatibility.
Regarding Power over Coax (PoC) solutions, Murata offers PoC inductor products and accompanying solutions that enable simultaneous transmission of DC power and high-speed signals over the same coaxial cable without interference, primarily used in SerDes coaxial links. This solution was adopted early in camera and millimeter-wave radar terminals, currently holding a high market share. To meet miniaturization trends, products have evolved from three-stage schemes to two-stage and one-stage designs, with different packages tailored to various current levels. Support includes PoC circuit reference designs, diverse simulation models, simulations and S-parameter measurements for multiple SerDes standards, and PoC solutions validated by several SerDes chip vendors.
Murata staff pointed out that with the evolution of autonomous driving satellite architectures, deployment density under centralized architectures continues to increase. As the mainstream solution for transmitting power and signals simultaneously over a single coaxial cable, PoC adoption scale in automotive camera links has also expanded significantly over the past two years.
In terms of noise suppression solutions, Murata provides ferrite beads for high-current power circuits and common-mode chokes for signal lines covering applications such as CAN and automotive Ethernet.
Murata staff disclosed that in practical applications, the usage of power or signal common-mode chokes per vehicle typically ranges from ten to twenty pieces, while devices like ferrite beads reach tens to hundreds per vehicle. It is reported that Murata has penetrated major US, Japanese, and domestic independent brands, with overall shipment volumes being substantial.
- IMU Mass Production Shipping, Ultrasonic Sensors Entering Market Introduction Phase
As autonomous driving levels rise, the precision of vehicle position detection becomes increasingly critical. Murata's six degrees of freedom (6DoF) high-performance IMU features low noise, low temperature drift, and vibration resistance, primarily used in China for positioning modules in autonomous driving (such as P-Box). Currently, the annual shipment volume of this product in the automotive sector has reached the multi-million (KK) level, effectively promoting the application popularity and mass production scaling of Chinese ADAS.
Additionally, Murata demonstrated an ultrasonic raindrop cleaning solution at the demo stage, providing the PZT piezoelectric elements and vibrator assemblies involved. This device utilizes the unique piezoelectric effect technology of ceramics, using high-frequency vibration to rapidly atomize and remove rainwater from the surface of external camera lenses.
This technology is currently still in the preliminary promotion and testing phase with OEMs, and specific product effectiveness depends on lens specifications and application conditions.
Migration of Automotive-Grade Technology to Emerging Fields and Industry Exploration
Humanoid robots and eVTOL aircraft share strong technological commonalities with the automotive industry in modules such as electric drive, communication, sensing, and power management. Murata is attempting to transfer component technologies accumulated in the automotive field to these emerging mobile applications.
- Humanoid Robot Specifications Not Yet Standardized， Murata Precisely Targeting Key Customers
The humanoid robot industry is currently in a preliminary development and consolidation phase.
Regarding component selection, the industry has not yet formed unified standards for temperature ratings (85°C, 105°C, or 125°C) or whether to choose consumer-grade or automotive-grade specifications, leaving Murata and customers still exploring. Currently, Murata can provide IMUs, ultrasonic sensors, miniature MLCCs, and NTC thermistors for the perception and brain layers; force/torque sensors, joint damping solutions, and motor drive-related components for the actuator layer; and BMS control capacitors, low-ESL products, and 48V power modules for the power layer.
He further emphasized that facing the vast robot market, Murata adopts a focus strategy, selecting top-tier and viable target customers for deep engagement.
- eVTOL Market Size Currently Small，Relies on Automotive Component Selection
eVTOLs have high safety requirements, typically prioritizing Grade 1 or Grade 2 automotive-grade components and avoiding consumer or industrial-grade products.
Murata staff noted in interviews that the company has been following the low-altitude track for over a year. Given the high requirements for safety, reliability, and lightweight design in eVTOLs, Murata extends its high-reliability component technologies and quality management experience from the automotive field to these emerging applications. In this area, Murata primarily explores opportunities related to IMU positioning sensors and provides corresponding reliability solutions for the six core systems of eVTOLs: flight control, avionics, propulsion, battery packs, navigation, and communication.
In terms of powertrain and safety control, Murata mainly provides automotive-grade ceramic capacitors compliant with AEC-Q200 standards (such as GCM/KC3 series), featuring miniaturization and high capacitance/high voltage characteristics to ensure safe operation under high-voltage conditions.
For flight control systems, Murata utilizes its SCH16T-K10 high-performance IMU for aircraft attitude perception, ensuring stable flight posture through low noise, low temperature drift, and vibration resistance capabilities.
In power and filtering circuits, Murata deploys power inductors supporting high currents (such as DFE/MDH/LQM series) and provides high-reliability noise filters (such as BLM/PLT/BNX series) as noise countermeasures for high-temperature, high-current conditions.
Furthermore, at differential transmission and interface ends, Murata expands the application of high-speed signal interface common-mode chokes (such as DLW series) to suppress common-mode noise on transmission lines for CAN, SerDes, and automotive Ethernet.
Technical Support and Localized Verification Processes
Beyond hardware supply, Murata assists engineers with circuit layout through simulation and technical support.
For instance, Murata provides customers with free Power Integrity (PI/PDN) simulation and analysis support. Engineers can complete AC impedance and transient voltage drop simulations based on tools like Cadence and ANSYS, optimizing capacitor selection, placement, and PCB layout. Simultaneously, intelligent selection APIs and design assistance software are provided for rapid simulation and device selection.
In terms of local service, Murata has built a sales and technical service network in China covering Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, and other locations. Advanced PoC load test equipment and EMC testing laboratories are equipped in multiple sites. By combining simulation with actual measurement, Murata assists local customers in advancing the design and verification of SerDes high-speed transmission systems, thereby reducing engineers' trial-and-error costs.
Conclusion
Murata is extending component technologies tested through mass production in the automotive market to humanoid robots and the low-altitude economy. Although the industry in emerging fields remains in a preliminary stage of specification exploration, unclear selection standards, and consolidation, Murata leverages its strategy of technology homology and reuse, combined with integrated software-hardware localized simulation and testing services, to provide engineers with a hardware toolbox. This solidifies its foundational hardware position in next-generation intelligent mobility.