Automotive Systems Forecast to Show Strongest Growth Through 2020

IC Insights will release the 2017 edition of its IC Market Drivers Report later this month.  The newly updated report reviews many of the end-use system applications that are presently impacting and that are forecast to help propel the IC market through 2020. IC Market Drivers 2017 shows that the market for automotive electronic systems is expected to display the strongest cumulative average growth rate (CAGR) through 2020, at 4.9%, highest among the six main electronic system categories (Figure 1).  Safety and convenience systems are essential features that consumers look for and want in their new car.  Automatic emergency braking, lane departure/blind spot detection systems, and backup cameras are among the most desired systems.  For semiconductor suppliers, this is good news as analog ICs, MCUs, and a great number of sensors will be required for these and other automotive systems throughout the forecast.

Other electronic system and IC market highlights from the 2017 IC Market Drivers Report include the following.

• Although the automotive segment is forecast to be the fastest growing electronic system market through 2020, its share of the total IC market was only 7.9% in 2016 and is forecast to remain less than 10% throughout the forecast period.

• Industrial/Medical/Other electronic systems are forecast to enjoy the second-fastest growth rate (4.3%) through 2020 as wearable health devices, home health diagnostics, robotics, and systems promoting the Internet of Things help drive growth in this segment.  Analog ICs are forecast to hold 49% of the industrial/medical/other IC market in 2016. 

• Communications became the largest end-use market for ICs in 2013, surpassing the computer IC market.  Asia-Pacific is forecast to represent 67% of the total communications IC market in 2016; 70% in 2020.

• The consumer electronics system market is forecast to display 2.8% CAGR through 2020.  The logic segment is forecast to be the largest consumer IC market throughout the forecast.  In total, the consumer IC market is expected to register a 2.3% CAGR through this same time period.

• The worldwide government/military IC market is forecast to be $2.5 billion in 2016, but represent only 0.8% of the total IC market ($290.0 billion).  The Americas region is the largest regional market for military ICs, accounting for 63% of the worldwide military IC market this year.

• Hit by slowing demand for personal computing devices (desktops, notebooks, tablets), the market for computer systems is forecast to show the weakest growth through 2020.  The total computer IC market is forecast to decline 2% in 2016 following a 3% drop in 2015.  Asia-Pacific is forecast to hold a 66% share of the computer IC market in 2016 and a 71% share in 2020.