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White Paper｜The DPPM Numbers of Automotive SoCs

By 2025-05-20No Comments

1. Automotive Chip DPPM Target Numbers

Here’s a list of typical numeric DPPM targets for automotive-grade semiconductor chips (such as MCU, SoC, sensor IC, power IC), based on industry standards and major automotive OEM/ Tier 1 supplier expectations:

1.1. Automotive Chip DPPM Target Numbers

Category Typical DPPM Target
General automotive-grade IC ≤ 10 – 100 DPPM
Safety-critical IC (ASIL D) ≤ 1 – 10 DPPM
AEC-Q100 Grade 1/0 devices ≤ 10 DPPM
Mature high-volume products ≤ 5 DPPM
New product introduction (NPI) ≤ 100 – 500 DPPM (early phase, ramp down after maturity)
Tier 1 supplier requirements Often <10 DPPM, depending on agreement
OEM premium segment (luxury brands, EVs) Targeting zero defect, practically <1 DPPM

1.2. Field Return DPPM Expectation

Stage Typical Field DPPM
Initial warranty period <1 – 5 DPPM
Over full product life <1 DPPM (especially for safety components)

 

2. Reference Standards

  • AEC-Q100: Defines qualification requirements but doesn’t set DPPM numerically; OEM/Tier1 usually set the numeric targets.
  • IATF 16949: Requires zero defect mindset and continuous improvement, driving DPPM targets as low as possible.
  • ISO 26262 (ASIL D): Requires ultra-low DPPM for safety-relevant failures, typically pushing for below 1 DPPM.

 

3. Automotive Chip DPPM Targets (By Type)

Here’s a detailed DPPM target table specifically for automotive power IC, MCU, and radar sensor products:

Chip Type Typical DPPM Target (Production) Field Return DPPM (Warranty Period) Notes
Power IC (e.g., PMIC, LDO, power switches) 10 – 50 DPPM <1 – 5 DPPM Power stages are sensitive to overcurrent/overvoltage; high reliability needed
MCU (Microcontroller Unit) 1 – 10 DPPM <1 – 2 DPPM Often ASIL B/C; very mature MCU families aim for <5 DPPM
Radar Sensor IC (including RF front-end + DSP) 1 – 10 DPPM (ASIL B/C); 0.5 – 5 DPPM (ASIL D) <1 DPPM, sometimes <0.5 DPPM Safety-critical applications (ADAS); very strict standards

 

3.1. Breakdown Context

3.1.1. Power IC

      • Higher initial DPPM acceptable during ramp (<100 DPPM), but mature products must meet <10–50 DPPM.
      • OEMs especially strict for power stages used in safety systems (e.g., EPS, braking).

3.1.2. MCU

      • High maturity, widely used, so extremely tight DPPM expected; some Tier 1s and OEMs demand <5 DPPM.
      • Functional safety (ASIL B/C/D) adds further pressure on safe failure rates.

3.1.3. Radar Sensor IC

      • Extremely sensitive; part of ADAS/Autonomous stack, so OEMs push for <1 DPPM, especially under ISO 26262 ASIL D.
      • Includes failures from both RF front-end and processing sections.

3.1.4. Reference Points

      • Tier 1 suppliers like Bosch, Denso, Continental often demand <10 DPPM at mass production.
      • OEMs (e.g., VW, BMW, Toyota) demand near-zero defect for safety components.
      • ISO 26262 functional safety may set single-digit or sub-DPPM levels as design targets, especially for latent faults.