Chip startup UltraSense enters deal with Korean automotive supplier

UltraSense Systems, a Silicon Valley startup that makes a chip that can replace mechanical buttons, said on Monday that it has signed a deal with South Korea’s Mobase Electronics to supply chips in cars due to hit the market next year.

UltraSense makes a chip that uses ultrasound waves to detect when a person has tapped on a solid surface. Daniel Goehl, UltraSense’s chief business officer, told Reuters that automotive companies are experimenting with replacing traditional control buttons with solid panels of metal or wood, especially in high-end models.