indie Semiconductor

indie.inc is a semiconductor and photonics company headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. The company develops mixed-signal chips, photonic devices, software, and system-level solutions mainly for the automotive sector. It focuses on technologies used in driver safety, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), automation, in-cabin user experience, and vehicle electrification. The company works closely with Tier 1 suppliers and its products are used by major global automotive manufacturers.
 

indie offers solutions across several sensing modalities, including radar, LiDAR, ultrasonic, and vision processing. These support functions such as adaptive cruise control, automated parking, blind spot detection, lane keeping assist, driver monitoring, and occupant monitoring. The company also provides systems for power delivery, interior and exterior lighting control, and high-speed data interfacing to support connected vehicle features.

The company has expanded through both organic growth and acquisitions, including photonics and sensor technology firms such as EXALOS and TeraXion. With this expansion, indie has built a portfolio of more than 600 issued and pending patents covering silicon design, optics, photonics integration, and software. Its photonics division produces visible and infrared lasers, fibre optic components, superluminescent LEDs (SLEDs), and integrated optical modules used in automotive, telecommunications, medical, quantum technology, aerospace, and sensing applications.
 

In radar, indie provides hardware and software for continuous wave (CW) and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) systems across 24, 60, 77, 120, and 240 GHz frequency bands. These support object detection and monitoring across automotive, smart city, industrial, medical, and agricultural use cases.

The company states that its culture values technical problem-solving, collaboration, diversity, and responsible business practices. It emphasises workplace inclusion, ethical operations, and supply chain responsibility. indie also focuses on reducing energy use and material consumption in its manufacturing processes and products. The company continues to develop integrated sensing and control platforms to support the growing shift towards electric and autonomous mobility.

indie Semiconductor was founded in 2007 by Donald McClymont, Ichiro Aoki, and Scott Kee. The founders identified a growing need for semiconductor systems that could support new electronic features in vehicles, particularly as the automotive industry began to move towards advanced driver assistance, connected vehicle functions, and electrification. 

The company was established in Aliso Viejo, California, and initially focused on designing mixed-signal system-on-chip (SoC) solutions intended to reduce component count and cost while improving functional integration inside vehicles.
 

During its early development years, indie concentrated on semiconductor platforms for automotive control systems and sensor communication. As demand increased for driver safety and automation features, indie expanded into technologies for radar, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensing, and vision processing. 

This allowed the company to support functions such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane keeping assist, automated parking, and driver and occupant monitoring. Through strategic partnerships with Tier 1 suppliers, indie’s devices began to be integrated by major automotive manufacturers globally.
 

To strengthen its position in emerging sensing markets, indie pursued targeted acquisitions. The acquisition of EXALOS brought expertise in superluminescent LEDs and photonics used in imaging and navigation. Later, the acquisition of TeraXion expanded indie’s capabilities in fibre optic components, laser systems, and dispersion compensation. These steps enabled indie to build a combined semiconductor and photonics platform suitable for automotive, telecommunications, aerospace, medical, and quantum technology applications.
 

The company also developed radar solutions operating across multiple frequency bands, including 24, 60, 77, 120, and 240 GHz, supporting long-range and short-range sensing for both automotive and industrial environments. In parallel, indie introduced power management systems, secure microcontrollers, and battery control technologies to support electric vehicle platforms. It also expanded into in-cabin user experience systems, including lighting control, connectivity, and power delivery solutions.

Today, indie employs over 500 people and holds a broad portfolio of issued and pending patents. The company continues to work with leading automotive OEMs and suppliers worldwide. Its current work is centred on supporting the shift towards automated, electrified, and connected vehicles while maintaining responsible manufacturing, supply chain oversight, and workplace inclusion.

The mission of indie Semiconductor is to support customers in building safer, more efficient, and more connected vehicles through semiconductor, photonics, and system-level technology. The company aims to deliver highly integrated solutions that reduce component count, save space, and support the power and cost requirements of modern automotive systems. indie works closely with partners and manufacturers to ensure that its devices meet industry safety and reliability standards. The mission also includes ongoing development of sensing, control, and connectivity platforms that help advance driver assistance, electrification, and in-cabin experience. The goal is to support long-term progress in mobility and transport systems.

The vision of indie Semiconductor is to play a central role in the shift towards automated, electrified, and digitally connected vehicles. The company aims to support a future where sensing systems, photonics, and semiconductor technologies work together to improve road safety, reduce environmental impact, and create more accessible mobility. indie seeks to continue expanding its range of integrated systems that combine hardware, software, and photonic elements. The vision also includes responsible business growth, global collaboration, and maintaining an inclusive workplace. By focusing on research, efficiency, and customer needs, indie aims to contribute to the future direction of the automotive industry.

indie Semiconductor has been recognised for its growth, technology development, and contribution to automotive sensing and photonics innovation. The company has built a strong patent portfolio with more than 600 issued and pending patents, reflecting ongoing research and technical expertise. It has earned recognition from industry partners for meeting strict automotive safety and quality standards. Through the acquisitions of TeraXion and EXALOS, indie strengthened its position in photonics and has been acknowledged within the global optics and semiconductor community. It has also been listed among fast-growing semiconductor companies and continues to receive acknowledgment for collaboration with major automotive manufacturers.

indie Semiconductor provides semiconductor, photonics, sensing, and system-level solutions mainly for the automotive industry. Its products support driver safety systems, vehicle automation, in-cabin user experience, and electrification. The company designs mixed-signal system-on-chip (SoC) devices, radar and LiDAR components, ultrasonic sensors, power management systems, and integrated photonics used in vehicles and other industries.
 

One of the main product areas is Driver Safety and Automation. indie develops solutions for vision processing, radar sensing, LiDAR systems, and ultrasonic sensing. These technologies help vehicles monitor their surroundings and support features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automated parking, blind spot monitoring, and collision avoidance. 

The company offers distributed sensor processing solutions that work with visible and infrared cameras, short-range and long-range radar, light detection and ranging units, and ultrasonic parking sensors. These solutions are designed to meet automotive safety and reliability standards and work in different driving conditions, including low-light and adverse weather.
 

indie also focuses on In-Cabin User Experience. The company designs systems for power delivery, high-speed data transfer, interior and exterior lighting control, and smart connectivity. These systems help provide improved user interaction inside vehicles, including touch interfaces, lighting effects, device charging, and infotainment support. The goal is to allow the vehicle interior to function in a connected and user-friendly way while maintaining efficiency and safety.
 

Another area is Electrification, which supports electric and hybrid vehicle platforms. indie supplies secure microcontrollers, battery control and management systems, and smart vehicle control solutions. These products help manage battery performance, charging, power conversion, and electronic control modules needed in electric drivetrains. The solutions aim to support the growth of electric vehicles by offering reliable and efficient power management.

The company also has a strong Photonics division. Through the acquisition of EXALOS and TeraXion, indie provides light sources, fibre optic components, and integrated photonic modules. These include superluminescent LEDs (SLEDs), visible and infrared laser diodes, femtosecond fibre lasers, wavelength filters, and dispersion compensators. 

These products are used not only in automotive LiDAR and sensing but also in telecommunications, medical diagnostics, aerospace navigation, augmented reality, and emerging quantum communication systems. indie’s fibre optic components include laser cavity reflectors, optical filters, wavelength lockers, and pulse stretchers designed to operate in high-precision optical systems.
 

In Radar Systems, indie offers radar chips, front-end modules, and software for continuous wave (CW) and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar across 24, 60, 77, 120, and 240 GHz bands. These radar systems support object detection, distance measurement, speed detection, human presence sensing, and industrial automation. Radar solutions are used in applications such as automatic emergency braking, traffic monitoring, industrial equipment sensing, and even medical vital-sign monitoring.
 

indie provides evaluation kits, software tools, and engineering support to help manufacturers integrate its systems into vehicles and other equipment. The company works closely with automotive Tier 1 suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to customise solutions for different vehicle platforms.