Tower Semiconductor Partners with LightIC to Expand Silicon Photonics Beyond AI Infrastructure into Physical AI and Automotive

Core Insights - Tower Semiconductor and LightIC Technologies announced a strategic collaboration to leverage Tower's silicon photonics platform for LightIC's FMCW LiDAR products, including automotive and robotics applications [1][4] - The global automotive LiDAR market is projected to grow from $859 million in 2024 to $3.6 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 24%, contributing to a broader LiDAR market expected to reach $6.3 billion by 2027 [2] - The advancement of AI data-center networking has accelerated the maturity of silicon photonics, expanding its adoption in sensing applications, particularly in automotive and Physical AI [3] Company Insights - Tower Semiconductor is a leading foundry specializing in high-value analog semiconductor solutions, focusing on various markets including automotive and industrial [7] - LightIC Technologies, founded in 2019, is a leader in silicon photonics-based FMCW LiDAR, known for delivering low-SWaP-C systems for automotive and robotics applications [9] - The collaboration aims to enhance optical integration and improve size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) for velocity-aware LiDAR technologies [4][5]