Samsung overtakes Micron in chips for cars to claim top spot; Captures 40% market share
Seoul, June 1
Samsung Electronics has overtaken Micron Technology to become the world's top automotive memory chip supplier, capturing a 40 per cent market share as its US rival lost its long-held lead in the vehicle memory market.
According to a news report by The Korea Herald, Samsung's share of the global automotive memory market rose to 40 per cent last year from 35 per cent in 2024. Citing figures from S&P Global Mobility, the report mentioned that Micron, the longtime leader in the segment, fell to 36 per cent from 40 per cent over the same period.
"The gain gives Samsung a stronger foothold in a market that is smaller than servers or smartphones but harder to enter. Memory used in cars must meet strict reliability standards and is often supplied over longer product cycles, as automakers need parts that can remain available through years of production and maintenance," the news report said.
This history has traditionally favored the US chipmaker. Citing a recent report by the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, the report stated that, "Micron held 51.7 per cent of the automotive memory market in 2024, compared with 16.8 per cent for Samsung and 3.0 per cent for SK hynix."
The report noted that Korean memory makers had built their strength around high-capacity chips for servers and mobile devices, while Micron had expanded in automotive and industrial memory since the early 1990s.
Samsung's rise also broadens its memory business at a time when investors are focused on high-bandwidth memory used in artificial intelligence servers. Automotive memory is a different market, with lower volume but longer qualification periods and closer ties to vehicle chip platforms.
The company also remained the largest player in the wider DRAM market in the first quarter of 2026, with a 38 per cent share, the report said, citing a Counterpoint Research. Global DRAM revenue reached a record USD 97 billion during the quarter as AI data center demand lifted memory prices.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting how Samsung caught up despite Micron having decades of head start. The automotive market is indeed tough - I've heard from friends in the industry that qualifying chips for cars takes years. This shift shows Samsung's long-term strategy is paying off. Wonder what this means for Indian car prices though...
While Samsung's achievement is commendable, I hope this doesn't lead to over-reliance on one supplier. Look what happened during the chip shortage! Automakers need to diversify - maybe partner with Indian companies? We have talent, just need the ecosystem. Just my two paise. 😊
Impressive growth by Samsung, but let's not forget Micron's stronghold in this segment for 30+ years. The automotive memory market has high barriers to entry, and Samsung's success shows their manufacturing prowess. As an industry watcher, I'd say this is more about Samsung's aggressive pricing and capacity expansion rather than any technological leap.
As someone whose family owns a car dealership, this is fascinating. Modern cars are basically computers on wheels - our new models have 50+ chips! The Indian market is growing fast, especially with EVs. Hope Samsung and others set up manufacturing here, not just focus on Korea and US. We need local supply chains!
The shift from 35% to 40% in one year is significant. But before we celebrate too much, remember that Samsung's strength is in high-volume consumer chips. Automotive requires long-term commitment to supply chips for 10-15 years. Let's see if they can maintain reliability standards over the long haul. Good for competition though.
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