At the recently concluded Huawei Intelligent Automotive Solutions launch event, a seemingly low-key yet highly disruptive technology term quietly emerged — “Star Flash PCB” NearLink. This is not an ordinary circuit board, but rather the “neural hub” that carries the core wireless communication capabilities of the next generation smart cockpit.How will it change in-car connectivity? What new opportunities will it bring to the PCB industry?
*Images in the text are sourced from the internet
🔍 What is “Star Flash PCB”? More than just wiring, it is a hardware carrier for “integrated sensing”
Many people know that “Star Flash” (NearLink) is a new generation short-range wireless communication technology led by Huawei, but you may not know: to unleash the full performance of Star Flash, highly customized PCB design is essential.
At this launch event, Huawei first disclosed its tailored “Star Flash PCB” technology solution for smart cockpits, with core highlights including:
✅ Integration of millimeter wave (60GHz) and UWB frequency band antennas on the same HDI board✅ Use of multi-layer shielding cavities + low-loss high-frequency materials (LCP/modified PI)✅ Support for sub-meter level positioning + ultra-low latency communication at 20 microseconds✅ Realization of “communication + sensing” integration (i.e., “integrated sensing”)
In simple terms: this PCB is not just a signal transmission channel, but also the physical foundation for in-car spatial awareness and device collaboration.
🚗 Application Scenarios: From “Keyless Unlock” to “Full Link Smart Connectivity in the Cockpit”
Huawei revealed that the “Star Flash PCB” has been applied in high-end models such as the Wanjie M9 and Xiangjie S9, and will cover more models by 2026. Typical scenarios include:
| Scenario | Traditional Solution Pain Points | Star Flash PCB Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Car Key | Bluetooth positioning errors are large, “standing still” cannot unlock the door | 3-meter automatic unlocking, 8-meter away locking, accuracy reaches sub-meter level |
| In-car Multi-screen Interaction | High WiFi latency, audio and video out of sync | End-to-end latency <250μs, supports 4K video lossless wireless projection |
| Smart Seat/HUD Interaction | Requires extensive cabling, difficult to maintain | Wireless replaces wired, achieving device self-networking through built-in antenna arrays in the PCB |
| AR-HUD Spatial Positioning | UWB is costly and complex to deploy | Millimeter wave + UWB integrated positioning, costs reduced by 50%, accuracy improved by 3 times |
This means: in the future cockpit, your phone, watch, headphones, seats, screens, and even air conditioning vents will seamlessly collaborate through a “smart PCB”.
🏭 Impact on the PCB Industry: High Frequency, High Density, High Reliability Become New Standards
The implementation of “Star Flash PCB” places extremely high demands on the supply chain:
🔸 Material Side:
- Must use Df<0.002 ultra-low loss high-frequency substrates (such as Rogers RO4000 series, Shengyi Technology SRT series)
- Demand for LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) flexible boards is surging, used for antenna feed lines
🔸 Process Side:
- 6/6μm or even 4/4μm line width and spacing HDI becomes standard
- Laser Direct Imaging (LDI) + Precision Impedance Control becomes key processes
- Antenna areas need to have electromagnetic shielding cavities embedded, involving multiple laminations and metallization
🔸 Certification Side:
- Must pass AEC-Q200 automotive-grade reliability certification
- Must meet ISO 16750 vibration/temperature and humidity shock standards
Currently, Jingwang Electronics and Chongda Technology have been confirmed as the main suppliers for Huawei’s “Star Flash PCB”, while Xingsen Technology and Shiyun Circuit are also accelerating validation.
💡 SOPCB Editor’s View: This is not just “another board”, but a reconstruction of PCB value
In the past, automotive PCBs were often seen as “structural components” or “connection components”, with limited added value.However, the emergence of “Star Flash PCB” signifies that PCBs are upgrading from “passive carriers” to “active functional units” — they directly determine the upper limit of the interactive experience in smart cockpits.
For PCB manufacturers:
- Whoever can master high-frequency material adaptation + antenna integration design + automotive-grade process control will be able to enter the trillion-level smart automotive supply chain;
- Small and medium-sized manufacturers that remain in the FR-4 multi-layer board era may be excluded from the next generation of automotive electronics ecosystem.
📣 Interactive Topic
Do you think “Star Flash PCB” will become the new standard for automotive PCBs? Feel free to leave your comments:A. Yes! It will be popularized before 2027B. Difficult, costs are too high, limited to high-end modelsC. It depends on whether domestic high-frequency materials can break through
👉 Please leave the letter of your choice + your reasoning!
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