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94 SMT Magazine • September 2015 yearly basis to our own manufacturing and de- velopmental business strategies. And that's how we adjust to it. We have a unique proposition in the sense that because of the diversified products that we build—all the key strengths that you need in order to be successful in each of these market segments—we have. So applying those different capabilities for specific products and services that our customers need to become successful in an emerging market, I think, is what makes doing business with IMI a unique experience. Las Marias: Earlier on, you mentioned about be- ing a preferred supplier of Bosch, and being a di- rect supplier to two of the biggest auto makers in the world. what qualifications are required for your company to get on an automaker's accredited vendor's list? Tan: Each of these tier 1s has its own list of pa- rameters. The consistent one is always quality, of course, and then on-time delivery, and then the last part would be a very cost-competitive pricing model. And you should be able to scale with the company, which means you have to have the financial wherewithal to be able to back the projects that these car companies are getting into. To us, these are our advantages, and the clear barriers that IMI has already evolved to, that right now, Bosch has already accepted the fact that we're one of the very few EMS com- panies in the world that can actually produce products to the level that a company like Bosch would produce. Las Marias: are lead-free parts a problem? if yes, please explain. Tan: It was. We're one of the pioneers of pro- ducing lead-free products in the automotive space; now it's becoming to be a requirement, and we're well ahead of it. But building a lead- free product doesn't mean just taking out lead in your material phase; it's being able to re- profile your entire manufacturing flow—from your ovens to your mounters to your soldering and everything else—to make sure that you still meet the reliability requirements of being in the car, but at the same time make it less hazardous in terms of material by making it lead free. Las Marias: what do you see as the biggest driver of automotive electronics innovation? Tan: Safety is always the number one. People, this has been documented, regardless of stature, of social hierarchy, regardless of price of vehicle that they are buying, their number one concern is safety. Las Marias: Please talk about aDas. Tan: Automated driver assistance system (ADAS) is a system whereby the car would be able to sup- plement the driver and help provide a safety level beyond the driver's ability to react. So this is the system itself. To be able to do this is not just a stat- ic system; it's a dynamic system that integrates all the key functions of the vehicle and allowing the vehicle to react on its own, and to be able to re- act to obstacles external to its environment. And that's the reason why you need a vision system, and you need the interconnection between the vision system and all the other systems—braking, fuel, chassis—that is what ADAS is. Las Marias: and imi provides most solutions for this system? Tan: IMI is one of the few companies that actu- ally have certified components that go into the ADAS. Las Marias: Vision is one of the key drivers for this aDas? FeAture interview DrIvING INNOvAtION continues