May. 18, 2023 /SemiMedia/ -- Renesas Electronics announced plans to further increase the production capacity of automotive semiconductors by 10% from the current level by 2026.

According to the plan, Renesas Electronics will invest approximately 48 billion yen to install manufacturing equipment at three fabs in Japan. In addition, production lines in Japan will back up each other to achieve a stable supply of semiconductors.

According to the plan, in February 2025, Renesas' Ibaraki fab will introduce 40nm manufacturing equipment. The Kofu fab in Yamanashi Prefecture will introduce thin film deposition equipment in August 2026, and it has the ability to import the equipment of the Ibaraki fab within one month in case of emergency.

The Kofu fab was closed in 2014, but the company plans to restart operations in the first half of 2024 due to increased demand for electric vehicle (EV) power semiconductors.

In addition, the Kawajiri fab in Kumamoto Prefecture will introduce 130nm automotive semiconductor manufacturing equipment by March 2025, with a monthly production capacity of 10,000 12-inch diameter silicon wafers. After the introduction, the Kawajiri fab will have a monthly production capacity of 29,100 8-inch silicon wafers. The combined production capacity of the three fabs is equivalent to more than 10% of the total production capacity of Renesas Electronics.