Look for CHASSIS and you’ll find the chiplet

The name is evocative and encompasses the entire program that inspires it: CHASSIS (Chiplet-based Hardware Architectures for Software-Defined Vehicles). It is a Bosch initiative that aims to place Europe at the center of the chiplet industry. With CHASSIS, leading innovators from Europe’s mobility, semiconductor, and software industries are joining forces with prominent research institutions to accelerate the development, standardization, and industrialization of automotive chiplet technology for software-defined mobility.

In 18 on the CHASSIS

The three-year international research program combines the expert knowledge and innovative strength of 18 members, which include major European OEMs (BMW Group, Renault/Ampere, Stellantis), automotive suppliers (Valeo), semiconductor companies (Arteris, Axelera AI, Bosch, Infineon, Menta, NXP, Tenstorrent), EDA technology providers (Siemens), software providers (TTTech-Auto), and research entities (CEA, CHIPS-IT, imec, and two Fraunhofer institutes as key players in the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) and the European APECS pilot line). Spread across six countries, the CHASSIS partners will collaborate closely across borders to establish an open chiplet ecosystem, with Bosch coordinating the project.

Chiplets vs SoC

As vehicles become increasingly software-driven, they require far greater computing power and flexibility. Traditional monolithic System-on-Chip (SoC) designs are reaching their technical limits, as combining many functions on a single chip makes development more complex and expensive. Chiplets – a modular alternative to single-chip approaches – offer a solution to this challenge. They divide computing tasks across several smaller, specialized chips that can be combined as needed. This modular structure makes it possible to design vehicle electronics based on functional needs rather than hardware limitations. Chiplet technology will make it possible to overcome the limitations of traditional monolithic SoCs and redefine how automotive electronics are developed, integrated, and deployed.

An European scene

This news comes right on the heels of the EU’s partial climbdown on its combustion engine ban. CHASSIS is the first Europe-based initiative toward creating an open chiplet platform for automotive applications. “The CHASSIS project unites unparalleled expertise from industry and research, with all project partners sharing the vision of a more modular, secure, and resilient future for automotive semiconductors. Our collective efforts will not only drive technological breakthroughs but also strengthen Europe’s position at the forefront of software-defined mobility and semiconductor technology,” says Thomas Schamm, Bosch spokesperson for CHASSIS. The project is supported by the Chips Joint Undertaking and its members, including top-up funding by France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.