Tower Semiconductor Partners with LightIC to Enhance Silicon Photonics for Automotive and Robotics
Date: January 5, 2026 | Location: Migdal Haemek, Israel and San Jose, CA
Strategic Collaboration Announcement
Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), a prominent foundry specializing in high-value analog semiconductor solutions, has partnered with LightIC Technologies. This strategic collaboration aims to leverage Tower’s mature silicon photonics platform to advance LightIC's Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) LiDAR systems. These include the Lark™ long-range LiDAR solutions for automotive applications and the FR60™ compact LiDAR for robotics and Physical AI initiatives.
Market Growth Insights
According to the latest research by Yole Group, the global automotive LiDAR market is set to expand from $859 million in 2024 to $3.6 billion by 2030, which translates to a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24%. This anticipated growth forms part of a larger LiDAR marketplace projected to reach $6.3 billion by 2027, driven by applications in industrial automation, smart infrastructure, and robotics.
Tower Semiconductor's Role in Silicon Photonics
The increasing demand for AI-powered data center networking has accelerated the maturity and manufacturability of silicon photonics. Tower Semiconductor’s sophisticated silicon photonics platform is already extensively utilized for large-scale AI deployments. The collaboration with LightIC is aimed at seamlessly integrating silicon photonics into sensing technologies for automotive and Physical AI applications.
- LightIC’s Role: Utilizing Tower's platform to enhance optical functions for coherent ranging and velocity sensing in FMCW LiDAR systems.
- Market Potential: As silicon photonics-based FMCW LiDAR technology continues to evolve, it is poised to capture a greater share of the global LiDAR market.
Expert Insights on the Collaboration
Dr. Ed Preisler, Vice President and General Manager of the RF Business Unit at Tower Semiconductor, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We are excited to expand our silicon photonics market beyond that of AI infrastructure into new sensing applications. Our joint work with LightIC and its team of experts is a key step in bringing to market velocity-aware sensing for robotics, Physical AI, and automotive markets.”
This collaboration aims to enhance the level of optical integration while improving the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) efficiency of LiDAR technology.
Jie Sun, CEO and Co-Founder of LightIC, added, “Utilizing Tower’s silicon photonics process enables us to integrate complex coherent LiDAR optical functions into silicon on a scalable, manufacturable platform suitable for product qualification and long-term production.” He emphasized that this integration is vital for delivering commercially viable 4D FMCW LiDAR solutions.
About Tower Semiconductor
Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM) is the leading foundry for high-value analog semiconductor solutions, offering a wide range of technology, development, and process platforms for growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, and medical sectors. The company is committed to providing innovative and customizable semiconductor technologies through established partnerships and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Conclusion
The partnership between Tower Semiconductor and LightIC is significant for the future of LiDAR technology, particularly as it pertains to the automotive industry and robotics. With TSEM at the forefront of semiconductor innovation, the collaboration is set to accelerate advancements in FEMCW LiDAR, contributing to safer and more efficient technologies across various applications.