indie Semiconductor to buy TeraXion for LiDAR support
indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ: INDI), which focuses on automotive technology, says it has agreed to purchase Canadian photonics company TeraXion Inc. indie will pay approximately $159 million for TeraXion in cash and stock in a deal expected to close by the end of this year. While TeraXion has supplied technology to the optical communications space since its founding in 2000, indie is buying the company for its LiDAR and sensor expertise that can be applied to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles.
TeraXion produces low noise lasers, Bragg gratings, and integrated photonic components, including chromatic dispersion compensators. The company made its mark in optical communications with the latter, including tunable dispersion compensators (see, for example, “TeraXion extends tunable dispersion compensation module suite”). It branched out into modulators with the purchase of assets from COGO Optronics in 2013 (see “Teraxion acquires modulator expertise from COGO Optronics”). The company also developed silicon photonics expertise but sold both businesses to Ciena in 2016 (see “Ciena buys TeraXion's indium phosphide, silicon photonics assets”).
More recently, TeraXion partnered with indie on an optical sensing reference design in support of Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) systems for automotive LiDAR. “Given the critical role LiDAR plays in achieving maximum levels of safety for assisted and self-driving cars, we are excited to welcome TeraXion’s world class design team and integrate their differentiated IP and product portfolio,” said Donald McClymont, indie’s co-founder and CEO. “Specifically, TeraXion has developed leadership laser technologies that, when optimized together with our SoC solutions, enable order of magnitude improvements in both system performance and cost. Accordingly, this highly synergistic combination built on a shared vision and strong cultural fit, positions indie to accelerate mass market deployments of LiDAR platforms.”
“TeraXion is thrilled to be joining forces with indie to take our business to the next level,” added Ghislain Lafrance, TeraXion’s president and CEO. “By combining indie’s mixed-signal, DSP, software, and power management experience with our laser and sensing technologies, together we intend to enable truly unparalleled solutions for ADAS and autonomous driving as well as adjacent high reliability applications.”
Lafrance will join indie’s senior management team and continue to lead TeraXion’s operations in Quebec post sale.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
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