March 25, 2026 – Kyoto, Japan – Murata Expands to Meet Surging Demand
Murata Manufacturing has announced a $500 million investment to double its PIR sensor production capacity by 2028, driven by the US Hot Cars Act and similar regulations in Europe and Asia that require child presence detection in new vehicles.
The investment will fund new production lines at Murata’s existing facilities in Japan and Malaysia, as well as a new factory in the Philippines scheduled to begin operations in 2027.
Investment Details
- Total investment: $500 million (approx. ¥75 billion)
- Timeline: 2026-2028
- Capacity increase: From 280 million units/year (2025) to 560 million units/year (2028)
- New facilities: Philippines (2027), Japan expansion (2026), Malaysia expansion (2026-2027)
- New jobs: 800 direct, 2,000 indirect
Automotive Demand Drivers
The primary driver for expansion is the automotive child presence detection market:
- US Hot Cars Act: Requires child presence detection in all new passenger vehicles by 2028 model year
- EU regulation: Expected to mandate similar systems by 2029
- China regulation: Under development, expected by 2030
- Estimated automotive PIR demand by 2028: 150-200 million units/year
Murata has already secured contracts with several major automakers, including Toyota, Honda, and Ford, for automotive-grade PIR sensors.
Automotive-Grade PIR Sensors
Murata’s automotive PIR sensor line includes:
IRA-A100 Series (AEC-Q100 Qualified)
- Temperature range: -40°C to +105°C
- Sunlight rejection: Enhanced optical filter
- EMI immunity: Meets automotive EMC requirements
- Self-diagnostics: Built-in fault detection
- Package: TO-5 and SMD options
- Pricing: $4-6 (volume)
IRA-A200 Series (Advanced Detection)
- Features: Dual-element for direction detection
- Algorithm: On-chip motion classification
- Applications: Advanced child presence systems with seat location
Facility Details
Philippines Facility (New)
- Location: Batangas, Philippines
- Investment: $250 million
- Floor space: 40,000 square meters
- Capacity: 150 million units/year
- Operations start: Q2 2027
- Employment: 500 direct
Japan Expansion (Existing)
- Location: Kyoto, Japan
- Investment: $150 million
- Capacity increase: +80 million units/year
- Focus: High-end automotive and industrial sensors
Malaysia Expansion (Existing)
- Location: Penang, Malaysia
- Investment: $100 million
- Capacity increase: +50 million units/year
- Focus: Consumer and IoT sensors
Market Context
Murata’s expansion follows similar announcements from competitors:
- Panasonic: $200 million expansion in Malaysia (announced January 2026)
- Excelitas: €100 million expansion in Germany (announced February 2026)
- Chinese manufacturers: Multiple smaller expansions
Industry analysts project that total PIR sensor production capacity will need to increase by 40-50% by 2028 to meet automotive and building automation demand.
Company Statement
“The automotive child presence detection mandate is the largest single driver of PIR sensor demand in the company’s history,” said Norio Nakajima, President of Murata’s Sensor Division. “This investment ensures we can meet our customers’ needs while maintaining the quality and reliability standards they expect from Murata.”
Conclusion
Murata’s $500 million expansion represents a significant bet on the future of PIR sensing. With automotive regulations driving demand, the company is positioning itself to capture a major share of the growing automotive sensor market.