Automotive
Automakers advance EV plans, add ‘green’ jobs
Ford is investing $135 million to design and manufacture key components for the company's next-generation hybrid-electric vehicles as part of its strategy to build a center of excellence in Michigan. The automaker also signed a deal with Coulomb Technologies to provide free charging stations to some of its first electric vehicle owners. Meanwhile, Nissan... »
Automotive electronics market to reach $244B by 2017
The automotive electronic systems market dropped 15 percent in 2009 when demand shifted to smaller, lower-cost vehicles with fewer electronic features, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. However, the market researcher forecasts a significant recovery in 2010. »
Infineon takes top spot for automotive ICs, Freescale slips to third
Infineon Technologies outsold Freescale Semiconductor as the leading supplier of semiconductors to the automotive industry in 2009, according to a report from Semicast Research. »
Ford delivers greener vehicles
Ford Motor Company continues to make its vehicles more eco-friendly through an increased use of renewable and recyclable materials, including soy and bio-based seat cushions and seatbacks on the 2010 Ford Taurus. »
Bergstrom, Johnson Controls-Saft develop Li-ion battery for no-idle vehicles
Bergstrom and Johnson Controls-Saft have developed a lithium-ion battery for NITE no-idle systems that will improve power efficiency, deliver longer run times and improve the environmental benefits of its no-idle units for commercial vehicles. »
GM to improve manufacturing processes with help from HP and Apriso
HP Enterprise Services has been selected by General Motors to implement an Apriso solution for better control over its battery manufacturing and supply chain operations at its new Chevrolet Volt battery assembly plant. »
DOE closes $1.4B loan to Nissan to build EVs, advanced batteries
The DOE closes its $1.4 billion loan agreement with Nissan to retool their Smyrna, Tennessee factory to build advanced electric automobiles and an advanced battery manufacturing facility. »
GM to invest $246M in electric motors, hybrid components
General Motors will invest approximately $246 million in electric motor and electric drive manufacturing including construction of a high-volume electric drive production facility at the Baltimore Transmission plant. The automaker also manufactured its first advanced lithium-ion batteries for the Chevy Volt at the Brownstown Battery Pack Assembly plant. »
DOE closes $465M loan to Tesla Motors
The DOE has closed its $465 million loan with Tesla Motors for construction of a manufacturing facility in southern California to produce its Model S electric sedan and a power-train manufacturing facility in Palo Alto, California. »
SAE releases interface standard for hybrid/electric vehicles
SAE International has released a standard that provides a standard interface between plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles, and electrical charging systems. »
Touch user interfaces have made significant advances in the consumer electronics market particularly for mobile phones and notebook computers, opening the door for adoption in other applications including white goods, computer peripherals, medical equipment, and instrumentation. Synaptics made its debut in the home appliance market earlier this year with the launch of the Samsung Hauzen ZERO air conditioner.
Smaller distributors were the only ones to post sales gains in 2009. Interestingly, two of the five distributors that posted growth last year -- Interstate Connecting Components and Sherburn Electronics -- derive 100 percent of their sales from interconnect products. Both of them also target the military/aerospace industry. Here are the top 10 sales leaders by ICs, passives/electromechanical devices, interconnects and computer products as well as sales growth.

NXP offers a low-power IC aimed at MPPT applications using PV cells or fuel cells.
C&K Components offers a series of low-cost, miniature slide switches. The OS Series of RoHS-compliant switches feature a new high-temperature option for lead-free soldering.