On April 26, 2026, the "2026 China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Achievement" award ceremony was held at the "China Chip" exhibition area of the 19th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2026). Shanghai Awinic Technology Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese analog-digital mixed-signal IC design company, successfully won the "2026 Influential Automotive Chip" award for its self-developed automotive-grade LED driver chip, the AW21036QPY-Q1. This award highlights Awinic's deep technical expertise, robust R&D strength, and leading industry influence in the field of automotive-grade LED driver chips.
Figure 1 Trophy News
This award selection was organized by the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance and established for domestically produced automotive chip products that have entered mass production and application. Eligible products were required to demonstrate a certain level of technical advancement and innovation, outstanding market performance, and a broad customer base. Nearly 200 projects applied for the award. After a review process conducted by expert judges from ten automotive OEMs using an independent, back-to-back scoring system, 25 "2026 Influential Automotive Chips" were ultimately selected to recognize a group of benchmark domestic automotive chip products that have achieved mass production, demonstrated leading technical capabilities, and delivered exceptional market performance.
Winning this award is not only a high-level affirmation by industry authorities of Awinic's technological innovation, domestic breakthroughs, and industrial empowerment value in the field of automotive-grade LED driver chips, but also a highly significant milestone honor for Awinic's "AWINIC LumiLight®" series products as they deepen their presence in automotive scenarios and help drive the upgrade of the smart cockpit industry.
Figure 2 AW21036QPY-Q1 application scenario
The AW21036QPY-Q1, which won this award, is one of the core products in Awinic's "AWINIC LumiLight®" series, specifically designed for automotive scenarios such as smart cockpit ambient lighting, dashboard indicators, and central control interactive backlighting. The product has passed the AEC-Q100 automotive-grade reliability certification and has accumulated shipments of over 10 million units, filling a domestic gap in multi-channel, high-precision, low-EMI automotive-grade LED driver chips. It is capable of achieving comprehensive domestic substitution for comparable mainstream international products.
It has been mass-deployed in scenarios such as dashboard indicator lights, door through-type dynamic turn signals (flowing lights), central control panel ambient lighting, vanity mirror lighting, and eye-friendly reading lights. The chip has successfully entered the supply chains of multiple mainstream automotive OEMs, undergoing rigorous road testing and market validation, and has become a core standard component for smart cockpit lighting solutions.
The AW21036QPY-Q1 being named a "2026 Influential Automotive Chip" is not only high recognition by the industry of Awinic's strong R&D capabilities and ability to scale product implementation but also highlights the leapfrog breakthrough of domestic automotive chips in this niche segment—from following and running alongside international leaders to taking the lead. Currently, the global automotive industry is accelerating its transition toward electrification and intelligence. The domesticization of automotive-grade chips has become a core key to ensuring the security of the industrial and supply chains and supporting high-quality industry development.
Looking ahead, Awinic will take this award as an opportunity to continue increasing R&D investment in automotive-grade chips, deepening its focus in niche areas such as automotive lighting, automotive audio, smart interaction, power management, signal chains, and RF front-ends. Leveraging products with higher performance, greater reliability, and higher integration, and working hand-in-hand with upstream and downstream partners, Awinic aims to support the high-quality development of China's automotive chip industry and contribute the power of "Awinic chips" to the upgrade of the automotive experience.
