In order to master Functional Safety for ISO 26262 and provide solutions that satisfy the necessary ASIL levels, SEALSQ has announced a strategic partnership with IC’ALPS, a leading ASIC design house that specializes in creating custom integrated circuits ready for the IATF16949 standard.
Notably, SEALSQ has started exclusive talks to purchase all of IC’ALPS’s shares and voting rights, as was declared in February 2025.
As previously stated, the acquisition is contingent upon a number of things, including the conclusion of the relevant due diligence, the signing of final contracts, and approval from French regulatory bodies.
In order to redefine automotive safety and security by introducing a new class of Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) tailored for Functional Safety in the era of post-quantum computing, IC’ALPS, which has demonstrated success in automotive applications, contributes expertise in power management ICs, quality design, test-fault coverage, and FMEDA (Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis).
Emergence of Functional Safety in Chip Laden Automotive
Functional safety has become crucial in a time when modern automobiles can have over 1,400 semiconductor components.
In the early 2000s, electronics made up only 18% of a car’s cost; today, they make up over 40%.
ASICs must provide more than simply performance as vehicles grow more software-defined, connected, and autonomous; they also need to ensure safety, reliability, and adherence to the rigorous regulations.
Enabling Functional Safety with ASICs Designed for ISO 26262
Through this collaboration, IC’ALPS’ automotive ASIC designs will incorporate SEALSQ’s post-quantum safe technology, which offers strong cryptographic resistance against attacks from the quantum era. I
n order to ensure resilience against both systematic and random hardware failures, IC’ALPS brings a wealth of experience designing chips for systems that require high Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs).
These systems include analog (LED drivers, PMICs, DCDC converters, high-precision current sensors, among others) and digital (embedded microcontroller, hardware accelerators for data signal processing) functions.
System integrators can reduce the number of components, increase system efficiency, and improve reliability by combining numerous functionalities into a single chip thanks to ASICs.
Combining SEALSQ’s cryptographic intellectual property with IC’ALPS’ IATF16949-ready design approach and strict test fault coverage for quality assurance will provide automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers with extremely secure, deterministic, and highly customized semiconductor solutions.
Benefits of Post-Quantum ASICs in Automotive Applications
- Functional Safety Compliance: Designed with technical safety requirements (TSRs) mapped from high-level safety goals to ensure ISO 26262 certification.
- Integrated Security: Native post-quantum cryptography with embedded secure elements and fail-safe mechanisms.
- Miniaturization & Performance: Reduced system complexity through the integration of digital, analog, RF, and power management functions.
- Electromagnetic Immunity: Enhanced EMI resistance and EMC validation to ensure robust operation within complex automotive environments.
- Real-time Responsiveness: Deterministic behavior and low-latency performance essential for safety-critical decisions in autonomous driving systems.
- Comprehensive Support: Backed by IC’ALPS’ customer support, including product training, layout guidelines, and system-level simulation models.
Beyond compliance, the collaboration prioritizes optimization—ensuring that safety features do not unnecessarily inflate development cycles or costs, while leveraging IC’ALPS’ project support to streamline integration for OEMs, preserving the competitive edge for automotive clients.
A Vision for Secure and Safe Mobility
This collaboration represents a significant advancement in the direction of vehicle security. With best-in-class expertise driving innovation, the duo are enabling the next generation of electric, connected, and autonomous vehicles to be not only smarter—but safer and future-proof by directly integrating post-quantum cryptography and functional safety mechanisms into automotive ASICs.
