Freescale and China’s Dongfeng Motor Cooperate on Automotive Electronics Technology Development

WUHAN, China & AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Freescale Semiconductor plan to establish a joint automotive electronics lab in China. The lab will be aimed at jointly developing silicon, software and system-level solutions to be used in the next generation of Dongfeng Motor’s vehicles for the China and export markets.

“As one of the three leading automobile manufacturers in China, Dongfeng has maintained a fast yet steady pace of development and has demonstrated a strong commitment to technological innovation and industry leadership”

The two companies intend to cooperate in developing key automotive applications, including body electronics, powertrain control and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies. The technical cooperation involves a series of Freescale microcontroller (MCU) platforms, including 32-bit Power Architecture™ MCUs,16-bit S12X and 8-bit S08 devices, as well as analog ICs.

"As one of the three leading automobile manufacturers in China, Dongfeng has maintained a fast yet steady pace of development and has demonstrated a strong commitment to technological innovation and industry leadership," said Henri Richard, Freescale’s senior vice president, chief sales and marketing officer. "Through close cooperation and joint research and development, Freescale and Dongfeng Motor expect to achieve breakthroughs in cost-effective body electronics, powertrain and HEV solutions to be deployed in next-generation automotive system designs."

To date, Dongfeng has developed advanced technologies for engine control, hybrid control and automated manual transmission (AMT). One of Dongfeng’s significant technology achievements is an electronic control unit (ECU) development project based on Freescale’s S12 MCU, which has gone into mass production. Future cooperation between the two companies is expected to focus on chassis and safety technologies, as well as in-car infotainment and navigation.

"As the world’s leading automotive semiconductor provider, Freescale has outstanding technologies in IC integration and manufacturing, and it provides reliable IC products," said Huang Jiateng, dean of technical center at Dongfeng Motor. "The opening of the joint lab and the collaboration between Dongfeng and Freescale in creating end-to-end automotive solutions will boost Dongfeng’s technology development capabilities."

Freescale and Dongfeng plan to extend their cooperation across a wide range of automotive hardware and software technologies. For example, Dongfeng has developed an electronic engine control system based on Freescale’s 32-bit MPC5xx MCUs and plans to migrate the control system design to MPC563x MCUs, a cost-effective MCU family optimized for green engine control. Joint software development and system integration are expected to be important aspects of the cooperation. The two companies plan to jointly develop underlying software and hardware platforms for ECUs, modeling tools, demonstration panels, AUTOSAR applications, in-vehicle networking solutions and low-end body control modules.

Freescale: The leader in automotive semiconductors

Freescale is the world’s No. 1 supplier of automotive semiconductors, with more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry. Freescale’s sensors, analog products and 8-, 16- and 32-bit MCU families provide intelligence and connectivity for advanced safety, body electronics, chassis, engine control, powertrain, driver information and telematics. Freescale is a pioneer in FlexRay™ technology and was the first supplier to integrate CAN, LIN™ and flash memory technologies on automotive MCUs.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking, and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with 2007 sales of $5.7 billion (USD). www.freescale.com.

About Dongfeng Motor Corporation

Founded in 1969, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (hereafter referred to as DFM), formerly named Second Automobile Works Co., is one of the three giant auto makers in China. Its main businesses include passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, engines, auto parts and components, and equipment. Through over 40 years of development, R&D and manufacturing facilities have been established as well as an extensive distribution and after-sales network, which unfolds a business display of footed in Hubei while radiating the whole nation. The major business facilities are located in Shiyan, Xiangfan, Wuhan and Guangzhou. In addition, several branches are located in Shanghai, Liuzhou (Guangxi), Yancheng (Guangxi), Nanchong (Sichuan), Zhengzhou (Henan), Urumchi (Xinjiang), Chaoyang (Liangning), Hangzhou (Zhejiang), Kunming (Yunnan), etc.

As of 2007, DFM has gained an annual output of 1,137,000 vehicles, a sales income of 164,800,000,000 yuan, 12.94% market share and 121,000 registered employees. The company ranks 20th in the top 500 domestic enterprises and 5th in the top 500 domestic manufacturers respectively. In 2007, the domestic market shares of medium/heavy duty commercial vehicle and medium duty bus reached first; light duty commercial vehicle and SUV secured second, and cars third.

Aligned with the trend of auto industry development in the world market, DFM has defined its position and set a goal to build a centennial DFM, which is capable of sustained growth, an internationalized DFM, which is world oriented, and an open DFM which is capable of independent development. And more aggressively, DFM is also looking forward to becoming the No. 1 in China, internationally weighted auto maker in the world with a convincing profit rate, sustainable development and constant value returning to shareholders, customers, employees and society. Currently, the corporate business has been on a fast-growth track to another achievement that will make greater contributions to the Chinese auto industry.

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