Infineon acquires UWB pioneer 3db Access

Infineon Technologies AG has acquired Zurich-based start-up 3db Access AG, a pioneer in secured low power Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology – positioned as a preferred IP provider for major automotive brands. The acquisition further strengthens Infineon’s portfolio for secured smart access, precise localization and enhanced sensing. Infineon now adds UWB to its connectivity range including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth /Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC solutions. The first set of IoT use cases include secured access and authentication, accurate location tracking and indoor navigation, as well as presence detection utilizing UWB radar implementations. Infineon is acquiring 100 percent of the company’s shares. The parties have agreed not to disclose the amount of the transaction.

“The expertise of 3db in Ultra-Wideband technology accelerates Infineon’s IoT roadmap for leveraging the market opportunities of secured, connected devices. Our combined strengths enable the UWB roll-out to address additional automotive, industrial and consumer IoT applications as the next logical step,” said Thomas Rosteck, President of Infineon’s Connected Secure Systems division. ABI Research expects the UWB chipset market to grow at an annual 13 percent, amounting to approximately US$3.1 billion by 2028. “Together, we will now create full system solutions with unique features which combine low-power consumption, enhanced physical layer security, feature-rich Radio Frequency (RF) frontend configurations and localization-optimized hardware architecture.”