June 7, 2012 — Bosch GmbH Automotive Electronics of Germany retained its position as the world’s top supplier of automotive micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) in 2011, according to an IHS iSuppli Automotive MEMS report.

Overall 2011 revenue for automotive MEMS sensors amounted to $2.24 billion, up 14% from $1.96 billion in 2010. Growth occurred despite a disrupted supply chain in the aftermath of natural disasters last year in Japan and Thailand, with expansion in the next two years to be driven by government mandates in the United States and Europe for electronic stability control (ESC) and tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).

The automotive MEMS Top 10 enjoyed combined revenues in 2011 of more than $2.0 billion, up 11% from $1.8 billion the year before. Together the top 10 accounted for 91% of the market.

Booking $625 million in revenue last year, Bosch’s 19% expansion from $524 million in 2010 outpaced the 14% growth of the automotive MEMS industry as a whole. It was also $339 million ahead of the #2 supplier, Denso Corp., which grew 9% to post revenue of $286 million in 2011.

“Bosch’s success last year can be credited to its internal captive market, which promoted stable revenue and visibility into future demand for the company,” said Richard Dixon, principal analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. “Bosch is a major player in the dominant auto MEMS markets — being the No. 1 supplier overall in MEMS sensor shipments for ESC systems in vehicles; as well as supplying the highest combined total of related automotive MEMS sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and pressure sensors. Bosch’s performance was also boosted by a rapidly growing airbag market in China, along with a surge in demand for frontal and side airbags in the United States, where especially stringent testing is needed for side impacts of vehicle doors, unlike in Europe or anywhere else in the world.”

Denso is the major supplier in its domestic Japanese market, with a diverse customer base that also includes almost half of Toyota’s auto MEMS business. Denso as a concern reported heavy declines in sales in the second quarter of last year after the Japan earthquake-tsunami disaster in March, but managed to recoup its losses during the next quarter. Denso is a top supplier of MEMS sensors of automotive heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as satellite airbag accelerometers and oil-pressure sensors. Nonetheless, Denso’s growth during the last two years has been relatively subdued compared to the rest of the auto MEMS market, because of an overly strong yen against the US dollar hindered exports.

Moving up a spot to #3 in 2011 was Panasonic, with revenue of $202 million, up 12% from $181 million in 2010. Most of Panasonic’s sales came from its automotive gyroscope business, reflecting a narrower focus compared to that of the leading two companies. However, Panasonic is the undisputed leader in in-dash navigation gyroscopes and ranks a very close second to Bosch in gyroscopes needed for ESC systems. The two devices are the highest-priced components in the automotive MEMS space. Panasonic is no longer the sole supplier of yaw rate sensors to European Tier 1 Continental, and in the future will see increased competition from VTI on combo-packaged inertial sensors for ESC systems.

Freescale Semiconductor dropped down one place to #4 with automotive MEMS revenue of $191 million, in a near tie with #5 Sensata. Freescale is the leading supplier of satellite airbag accelerometers, even though it temporarily lost share in that market last year as a result of earthquake damage to its Sendai facility in Japan. Sensata concentrates MEMS production on pressure sensors, and is #1 in high-pressure applications like brake and common fuel rail sensing, using its silicon piezoresistive sensors that are glass-bonded to steel substrates. Sensata also had the second-highest yearly growth rate of 24%, ahead of even top-ranked Bosch.

Among the remaining Top 10, growth ranged from an anemic 3% at Delphi to 36% for VTI, thanks to VTI’s strong position in ESC accelerometers. Infineon and Analog Devices Inc. joined Bosch, Sensata and VTI in recording growth rates higher than the industry average, while GE Sensing had slightly below-average expansion of 12%.

Fuji Electric fell just outside the top 10, with overall revenue of $30 million.

Learn more about this topic with the forthcoming IHS iSuppli report entitled: “Fat Years Ahead for Automotive MEMS Sensors.” For more information, visit the MEMS & sensors research product page at http://goo.gl/bDmQY. IHS (NYSE: IHS) is a leading source of information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape. Learn more at www.ihs.com.

Visit the MEMS Channel of Solid State Technology, and subscribe to our MEMS Direct e-newsletter!