Strategy Analytics sees high-end automotive electronic control systems driving up on-board MCU data and code storage needs, especially for next-generation designs in powertrain, ADAS (advanced driver assistance) and Infotainment systems.  So this week's STMicroelectronics announcement of its 55 nm embedded Flash (eFlash) process technology, which will be implemented in its next-generation automotive microcontroller (MCU) chips is significant.  The company plans the first 55nm embedded-Flash product to be available for customer sampling in mid-2011, and automotive qualification in 2013. http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/cms/press/news/year2010/t2482.htm The move should give ST a competitve advantage over its nearest industry rivals:  Strategy Analytics currently ranks ST as #3 global automotive semiconductor supplier.  Infineon (#2) announced in November 2009 an extension of its development and production partnership with TSMC to a 65 nm embedded flash process technology targeting a range of applications including next generation automotive systems.  Its automotive MCU qualification and production start is scheduled for the first half of 2013. http://www.infineon.com/cms/en/corporate/press/news/releases/2009/INFXX200911-005.html Our eyes are on Freescale, #1 automotive vendor overall and # automotive MCU vendor.  Its current 90 nm low power CMOS process for its automotive eFlash Power Architecture MCU products was developed in collaboration with ST, but the Austin-based company has yet to announce a decision on its route to a next generation solution. Strategy Analytics sees powertrain and ADAS are critical future battlegrounds for competing 32-bit MCU vendors, and having products with the right performance levels available on time to match designers needs is critical.  Forecast demand for these systems is provided in SA's Automotive System Demand Forecast: http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=ReportAbstractViewer&a0=5073 MCU demand forecasts for powertrain, ADAS and other systems can be found in SA's Automotive Semiconductor Demand Forecast: http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=ReportAbstractViewer&a0=5081