Chip startup UltraSense enters deal with Korean automotive supplier


FILE PHOTO: A view of cars on the road during rush hour traffic jam, in San Francisco, California, U.S. August 24, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File photo

(Reuters) - UltraSense Systems, a Silicon Valley startup that makes a chip that can replace mechanical buttons, said on Monday that it has signed a deal with South Korea's Mobase Electronics to supply chips in cars due to hit the market next year.

UltraSense makes a chip that uses ultrasound waves to detect when a person has tapped on a solid surface. Daniel Goehl, UltraSense's chief business officer, told Reuters that automotive companies are experimenting with replacing traditional control buttons with solid panels of metal or wood, especially in high-end models.

Under the deal announced on Monday, Mobase, a supplier to Korea's automotive industry, will use UltraSense chips in button bars it supplies to automakers.

"With UltraSense's partnership, we are confident that our solid-surface infotainment systems and other next-generation touch products will stand out with our customers to deliver exceptional touch user experiences," Son Byeong-Jun, chairman and co-chief executive of Mobase, said in a statement.

San Jose, California-based UltraSense's Goehl declined to say which vehicles will contain his company's chips, but said they will show up in "high-tier" models from Korean automakers.

"The first car rolls off the production line in January, and there'll be three or four other cars that roll off the line throughout 2024," Goehl told Reuters.

(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Will Dunham)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

   

Next In Tech News

Sirius XM found liable in New York lawsuit over subscription cancellations
US Supreme Court tosses case involving securities fraud suit against Facebook
Amazon doubles down on AI startup Anthropic with $4 billion investment
Factbox-Who are bankrupt Northvolt's creditors?
UK should use new powers to probe Apple-Google mobile browser duopoly, report says
EU regulators scrap probe into Apple's e-book rules after complaint was withdrawn
Hyundai recalls over 145,000 electrified US vehicles on loss of drive power
'World of Warcraft' still going strong as it celebrates 20 years
Northvolt CEO steps down, saying group needs up to $1.2 billion
Bitcoin at record highs, sets sights on $100,000

Others Also Read