Chips&Media video codec IP secures ISO 26262 certification for automotive

This certification signals a shift for multimedia IP providers as they pivot from consumer electronics toward the high-margin automotive semiconductor market. By securing ASIL-B status for advanced codecs like AV1 and VP9, Chips&Media addresses the growing need for functional safety in complex in-vehicle infotainment and driver assistance systems. This move reduces the technical debt for SoC designers who previously faced months of manual safety verification for video blocks. As vehicles increasingly rely on high-resolution camera streams for navigation and safety, the industry should watch for Chips&Media to apply this functional safety framework to emerging VVC and AV2 standards to maintain its competitive edge against traditional automotive silicon incumbents.

Chips&Media's push into automotive-grade video processing reflects a broader trend among semiconductor IP vendors seeking functional safety credentials for in-vehicle applications. In March 2025, Synopsys announced that its DesignWare ARC HS6x processors had achieved ISO 26262 ASIL-D certification from TÜV SÜD, targeting automotive SoC designers who need the highest safety integrity level for ADAS and autonomous driving workloads. That announcement underscores how IP licensors are racing to pre-certify their blocks so that chip designers can shorten their own safety case timelines. Chips&Media's ASIL-B achievement for the WAVE6331X positions it in the same competitive lane, though at a lower safety integrity level suited to infotainment and surround-view systems rather than safety-critical decision-making paths. The business case for pre-certified video IP in automotive is strengthening as OEMs demand higher-resolution camera feeds and richer display pipelines. According to a 2025 report from Yole Group, the automotive semiconductor market for advanced driver assistance systems is projected to reach $14.6 billion by 2029, driven by the proliferation of high-resolution sensors and in-cabin displays. Chips&Media's WAVE6331X FuSa directly addresses this demand by offering a codec block that supports AV1, HEVC, and VP9 decode at resolutions up to 8K, reducing the verification burden on Tier-1 suppliers integrating video into safety-relevant display chains. DNV, the certification body that issued the ASIL-B credential, has been expanding its automotive functional safety assessment services, certifying multiple semiconductor IP products across powertrain, chassis, and infotainment domains in 2025. On the technical side, AV1 adoption in automotive is still nascent but gaining traction as OEMs seek royalty-free alternatives to HEVC for high-bandwidth camera and display pipelines. The Alliance for Open Media reported in early 2025 that AV1 hardware decode support had been integrated into more than 30 automotive-grade SoC designs, up from fewer than 10 in 2023. Chips&Media's decision to include AV1 alongside HEVC and VP9 in a single ASIL-B certified block gives SoC developers a multi-codec path without requiring separate safety analyses for each standard. The company's CEO Steve Kim has indicated that the firm plans to extend functional safety certification to future codec generations, which would position Chips&Media ahead of competitors like Cadence and Arm in the automotive video IP segment. Stingray targets 15 car manufacturers as part of this broader industry push to enhance in-vehicle entertainment experiences.