As the value of embedded systems used in consumer electronics and appliances and in automotive applications is high, accounting for 60 per cent and 52 per cent of the total product value respectively, there is potential for local developers to develop embedded systems to serve the two industries.

To set guidelines for development in these areas, Nectec is now also working on a technology roadmap for embedded systems, and it is expected to be complete in the next few months.

Nectec's director Pansak Siriruchatapong said that apart from setting a direction for embedded-system development in each area, the centre also planned to encourage collaboration among related organisations to help the development.

In the consumer electronics and appliances area, Pansak said embedded systems are important to help manufacturers create added value for their products. Development of technology related to embedded systems alone is not enough. Product design and marketing development are also required.

"As consumer electronics and appliances are commodity goods, it's necessary to think about product design and marketing along with technology, to make the product attractive enough for customers to pay for it," he said.

In the plan, the centre has set product design, marketing and technology as the three main pillars which have to be developed to encourage local developers to create products to match market requirements.

To jump start the plan, the centre has also worked with the Thai Embedded Systems Association (Tesa), the Industrial Designer Society and Thailand Science Park to conduct a project called Embedded Systems on New Industrial Design Camp and Contest 2007, to encourage local developers to hone their skills in three areas of technology, design and marketing.

The project will allow local developers to form teams and send proposals describing embedded-system products they plan to develop in terms of technology and product design as well as their marketing plans. From all proposals, 20 teams will be selected to participate in a workshop where they will be trained not only in technology related to embedded systems but also product design and marketing.

Pansak said that during this period, all the teams would start the development of a product mock-up and the centre would choose three finalists to continue developing a prototype for the contest by early next year.

The project is expected to give local developers more skills to develop products to serve market demand and encourage new design companies for embedded-system products. "We hope through this project we will be able to start at least five to 10 companies a year to serve the industry and we want to see at around 100 design companies in operation in the next five years," Pansak said.

He said that having this kind of business would help the country increase added value in products and create upstream business for the consumer electronics and appliance industry.

While the industry is moving towards an original design manufacturing concept, Pansak said if the country had more design houses in this area, it would be a new opportunity on top of the electronic production base the country already has.

In addition to the consumer electronics and appliance industry, the automotive industry is also a key area for embedded-system development.

Tesa has predicted that the value of embedded systems in the automotive industry will reach Bt400 billion by 2012 and local developers have a chance to penetrate around 50 per cent or Bt200 billion of this market. With these huge opportunities, Pansak said the roadmap had set a direction in technology development for automotive electronics.

Normally, the development of automotive electronics comprises four areas - computerised systems for engine control, body and chassis control systems, safety control systems, and vehicle information and communication systems.

Pansak said the area with the greatest potential for Thailand was vehicle information and communication systems, as they have huge potential for embedded systems and application development.

Vehicle information and communication systems make cars much more useful as they integrate computerised and communication systems, allowing drivers to receive various kinds of information through a computerised dashboard, make phone calls via voice commands, or find ways to a destination using guidance systems.

However, to serve the emerging embedded-system industry, training of staff is also necessary.

The country has around 2,000 embedded-system developers but the plan is hoped to eventually increase this to 10,000 in the next three years.

Pongpen Sutharoj

The Nation