India’s L&T Semiconductor Joins imec to Drive Global Automotive Chiplet Innovation

L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro, has officially joined imec’s global Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP), marking India’s entry into a cutting-edge semiconductor collaboration focused on modular chiplet architectures for next-generation vehicles.

Key Highlights of the Collaboration

• Program: imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP)
• Objective: Develop chiplet-based architectures and advanced packaging technologies for automotive electronics.
• Focus Areas:
  • Safety-critical computing
  • High-speed die-to-die connectivity
  • Robust testing and monitoring across the semiconductor lifecycle
• Leadership: Dr. Sandeep Kumar, CEO of LTSCT, emphasized chiplets as a fundamental shift in automotive system integration.

Why Chiplets Matter for Automotive

Traditional monolithic SoCs (System-on-Chips) are struggling to meet the demands of:

• ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)
• Software-defined vehicles (SDVs)
• Next-gen infotainment systems

Chiplets—modular silicon blocks optimized for specific functions—integrated via 2.5D and 3D packaging offer:

• Higher compute performance per watt
• Faster time-to-market
• Greater supply chain resilience
• Scalability and cost efficiency

Strategic Importance for India

• Global Positioning: Strengthens India’s role in the semiconductor ecosystem under the India Semiconductor Mission.
• Standardization Role: Contributes to reference architectures and interoperability standards.
• Industry Impact: Positions India as a contributor to global automotive semiconductor innovation.

Comparative Context

Factor	Traditional SoC	Chiplet-Based Design
Integration	Monolithic, single die	Modular, multiple dies
Performance Scaling	Limited by die size	Flexible, scalable per function
Supply Chain	Vendor-dependent	Multi-vendor interoperability
Cost Efficiency	High for advanced nodes	Lower via modular reuse
Reliability	Challenged in SDVs	Enhanced with safety partitions

Risks & Challenges

• Standardization: Success depends on industry-wide alignment around interoperable chiplet standards.Cost & p: Developing chiplet ecosystems independently is prohibitively expensive.
• Technology Transfer: Effective collaboration between imec, LTSCT, and global partners is critical.

L&T Semiconductor Technologies’ entry into imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program is a landmark step for India’s semiconductor ambitions, positioning the country as a contributor to global automotive innovation while advancing modular, scalable chiplet architectures for future vehicles.

The core purpose of imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP) is to accelerate the transition from traditional monolithic system‑on‑chips to modular chiplet architectures in vehicles. It is designed to create standardized reference designs, interoperability frameworks, and reliability models that allow multiple vendors to contribute chiplets which can be seamlessly integrated into automotive systems. By doing so, ACP reduces development costs, shortens time‑to‑market, and ensures that advanced computing platforms for cars—covering safety, connectivity, and infotainment—can scale efficiently while meeting stringent automotive reliability standards.

In essence, ACP is about building a collaborative ecosystem where automakers, semiconductor firms, and technology providers co‑develop the foundation for software‑defined, high‑performance vehicles powered by chiplets rather than single, monolithic chips.

In essence, ACP is about building a collaborative ecosystem where automakers, semiconductor firms, and technology providers co‑develop the foundation for software‑defined, high‑performance vehicles powered by chiplets rather than single, monolithic chips.