Inova Semiconductors
State-of-the-Art Products for High-Speed Serial Data Communication

Preamble:

This interview for this profile has been conducted with Inova Semiconductors CEO, Robert Kraus in August. Robert Kraus, passed away – suddenly and unexpectedly in early September. We want to honour his forward looking visions for the automotive electronics industry with this profile about Inova Semiconductors.

The automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation with the advent of self-driving cars, electric vehicles, and connected cars. New technologies are driving the demand for high-speed connectivity between different components in the car, such as sensors, actuators, and infotainment systems.

Inova Semiconductors is a leading provider of high-speed semiconductor solutions for the automotive industry. Founded by a team with extensive experience at Motorola, it has continually adapted to the ever-changing landscape of high-speed data communication. The company’s products are used in a wide range of applications, including infotainment, and advanced upcoming interior and functional lighting systems.

Commitment to innovation and investment in R&D has been evident throughout its journey, from its initial foray into industrial applications to its current prominence in the automotive domain.

Recently Inova recognized the automotive industry’s challenge of integrating more LEDs into vehicles due to existing technologies being bulky, power-hungry, and expensive. To tackle this issue, they introduced the ‘ISELED’ technology for in-car ambient lighting, featuring dozens of daisy-chained colored LEDs on each of these smart LED modules comprising a red, green, and blue LED controlled by the ISELED smart RGB LED driver.

This innovation simplifies complex setups and has gained traction with the ISELED Alliance, now comprising over 50 global companies, positioning itself as an industry standard. Inova’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and market presence is further emphasized through strong relationships with Asian clients.

“Our energy comes from balancing customer needs, technological possibilities, and the creative passion of our diverse team,” says Robert Kraus, CEO of Inova Semiconductors.

A shining example of Inova’s journey is its collaboration with BMW. It worked closely with BMW to integrate cutting-edge technology into the automotive sector. This partnership led to the creation of the Automotive Pixel Link (APIX) product family, a solution that enhances display technology in vehicles. This marked the beginning of a transformative period for Inova, ushering in a new era of APIX technology. The APIX product family quickly gained recognition with its adoption by BMW’s vehicles, affirming Inova’s expertise in delivering innovative solutions that bridge technology and automotive excellence. Currently it is used by a still growing number of Automakers around the world.

Inova continues to drive transformative shifts towards connectivity, infotainment, and lighting in the automotive industry. Its ADXpress, the Automotive Data Express, presents a high-performance architecture that redefines data transmission in future vehicles. ADXpress facilitates the transmission of all raw sensor data via sensor-specific virtual data paths with deterministic latency to one or more evaluation units. Sensors can connect to an ADXpress node via PCI Express, Ethernet, or SPI, achieving data transfers of 30 Gbps electrically or 4 x 24 Gbps optically. The data rate primarily depends on the Physical Layer medium and the technology node’s capabilities, heralding new possibilities for automotive data communication.

Inova nurtures a dynamic team comprising seasoned veterans and young talents from over a dozen nations. It fosters an environment of creativity where engineers have the freedom to explore ideas, take calculated risks, and challenge conventions. This has resulted in ingenious solutions and in the generation of numerous patents that underscore the company’s dedication to innovation.

It has received numerous awards, including multiple awards from esteemed sources like the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Chip Computer Magazine.

Inova, with its visionary leadership and dynamic team, stands as a shining example of how innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence can drive transformative shifts and redefine the future of mobility in the automotive industry. Its legacy of innovation is well-positioned to endure, shaping the automotive landscape for years to come as this industry continues to evolve.