Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation signs two joint venture agreements to expand image sensor applications and strengthen supply capacity

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation signed two joint venture agreements related to its image sensor business between July and August. The agreements cover the development of AI vision sensors for the manufacturing industry with Mitsubishi Electric, and the mass production development and manufacturing of image sensors for smartphones with TSMC.

Strengthening AI vision sensor development leveraging image sensor technology

On July 22, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Mitsubishi Electric, including the establishment of a joint venture, Advanced Vision Solutions, to accelerate the automation of manufacturing equipment and manual operations in manufacturing. The new company is scheduled to begin operations in October.

Through the new company, the partners will develop and deploy vision sensor solutions leveraging technology that performs AI analysis of image data directly on the sensor itself. By capturing conditions and changes on the factory floor and linking them to judgment and control, the solutions will support automation and autonomous operation across a wide range of manufacturing environments.

The partnership brings together Mitsubishi Electric’s extensive control expertise in factory automation with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation’s image sensor and edge AI technologies. The combined solution enables recognition of factory floor conditions, product quality, and equipment operating status, linking acquired data to judgment and control. By combining vision data with a wide range of other on-site data, the initiative also supports the real-world deployment of physical AI in the factory automation domain.

Strengthening development and manufacturing of image sensors for smartphones

On August 11, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation signed a definitive agreement with TSMC on the establishment of a joint venture, Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, based in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The new company will serve as a core facility for the mass production development and manufacturing of image sensors for smartphones using advanced manufacturing process technologies, with mass production scheduled to begin in 2029.

Sony will contribute approximately JPY 465 billion to the new company through a cash contribution and asset transfer via company split, while TSMC will make a cash contribution of approximately JPY 282 billion. These financial contributions are planned to be executed in stages in accordance with market demand and the relevant business environment. In addition to the contributions from both companies, funding required to establish the new company’s mass production system will be planned with the support of the Japanese government.

Under the strategic partnership, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation will be responsible for the development of core image sensor technologies and the planning and design of products. Building on this, the new company will leverage TSMC’s technologies and expertise to handle mass production development and manufacturing of image sensors. This structure aims to accelerate product commercialization driven by customer needs, while advancing technological innovation and strengthening supply capacity.