Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Industry Precision Co (鴻海精密) is to establish a semiconductor design center in a “smart” industrial park in New Taipei City as part of its effort to develop electric vehicles (EV).
Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn (富士康) globally, said it plans to open a semiconductor design center in the Baogao Science and Intellectual Park in the city’s Sindian District (新店) to develop software used in self-driving, smart connectivity and smart cabins for EV production.
The iPhone assembler said it would hire 250 software engineers for the semiconductor design center in the initial phase of its three-year 1,000-person recruitment program for research and development.
Photo: Reuters
Market analysts said they expect Hon Hai to build an EV cluster in New Taipei City by taking advantage of the new investment in the industrial park.
The industrial park is close to Foxtron Vehicle Technologies Co (鴻華先進), a joint venture between Hon Hai and Taiwanese automaker Yulon Group (裕隆集團) to push for EV development.
Through the venture, Hon Hai is promoting an MIH Open Platform, as the company aims for it to be the “Android of the electric car industry” in its efforts to penetrate the global EV market.
Hon Hai was among six companies that won bids to enter the Sindian industrial park, which together are expected to attract about NT$1.6 billion (US$57.48 million) in investments, the New Taipei City Economic Development Department said.
The department said the city would soon sign agreements with the companies, with an expected start of operations in the 4.2 hectare industrial park in three months.
The department added that it would not know how much Hon Hai plans to spend on its new site before the contract is signed.
Hon Hai will use the Baogao industrial park as a base for next generation smart EV development, the department said.
Hon Hai has in the past few years intensified efforts to carry out its “3 plus 3” initiative, designed to diversify its product offerings, boost profit margins and transform from a contract electronics manufacturer into a company that can integrate its hardware and software strengths.
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