Circularity Potential in Upstream Electronic Control Unit Supply Chain in the Automotive Industry

Abstract

The automotive industry’s rapid shift towards electrification has created a widespread dependence on semiconductors. This is making the supply chain vulnerable to dis- ruptions in the availability of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) such as gallium and germanium. Today, China dominates the global production of these materials, while the recycling rate from End-of-Life (EoL) electronics is almost non existent with a rate of 0% for gallium and 2% for germanium. The geopolitical risk makes it of interest for the EU to become more independent within this supply chain. An iden- tified approach to this is implementing circular flows. In this bachelor’s thesis, the aim is to investigate the potential for circular flows of gallium and germanium in the upstream supply chain for Electronic Control Units (ECUs). Through a qualitative case study based on literature studies and semi structured interviews with stakeholders throughout the supply chain, the cur rent situation, and potentials regarding circular flows, have been mapped. Further, both opportunities and challenges with these have been analyzed. The results show that current circular practices are mostly limited to recycling of production waste, but that there is significant technical potential in emerging meth ods such as Flash Joule Heating (FJH), AI-based sorting and recovery from indus- trial residues, such as red mud and jarosite residue, and End-of-Life (EoL) sources. The main challenges to large-scale implementation are the very low concentrations of material in individual components, the lack of economic viability compared to primary materials, and design choices that prioritize protection over disassembly.