NEWS


Automotive leaders urged to break rare-earth dependency


Recent export licensing restrictions on rare earth elements have forced production shutdowns across Europe and beyond, with manufacturers warning that further disruption is imminent. With one country controlling the vast majority of rare earth processing capacity, the report argues that the UK’s decarbonisation targets, automotive competitiveness and economic security are all now exposed to geopolitical, environmental and cyber risks beyond domestic control.


The white paper also emphasises that most electric vehicles rely on up to a kilogram of rare earths within their motors, materials that are environmentally destructive to extract and increasingly subject to export controls. With the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate requiring 80 per cent of new car sales to be zero-emission by 2030, AEM argues that current supply trajectories simply cannot support the required growth in EV production.


Crucially, the report challenges the assumption that rare earths are unavoidable. It sets out how proven, commercially deployed alternatives already exist. AEM’s rare-earth-free motor technology has accumulated more than four million kilometres in real-world operation across buses and light rail, delivering comparable performance, lower costs and signifi cantly reduced environmental impact.


E EDITOR Samuel Jones SJones@datateam.co.uk


ADVERTISING MANAGER Jordan Tait Tel: 01622 699 139 jtait@datateam.co.uk


BUSINESS DIRECTOR Paul Ryder


Tel: 01622 699105 pryder@datateam.co.uk


ARTWORK EDITOR Kirsty Hood


Tel: 01622 607967 khood@datateam.co.uk


CIRCULATION ENQUIRIES Curwood CMS Tel: 01580 883844 datateam@c-cms.com


Welcome to the February issue of Electronics for Engineers


W


elcome back to another issue of Electronics for Engineers, I am currently preparing for our trip next month to Embedded world. Not having been to any international shows before, this is very exciting and I can’t wait to be able to meet lots of new faces in the industry as well as learn about the latest products.


If you’re anything like me you’ll be looking forward to warmer weather as we move into spring. I can’t speed that up unfortunately, but you can read about heat and its management in our thermal management feature.


Editor SJones@datateam.co.uk


Also in this issue, we take a look at automotives, specifi cally the issues facing GNSS(Global Navigation Satellite Systems), as well as how infotainment systems are improving.


As always feel free to contact Jordan or myself if you wish to contribute to any future issues or to efemag.co.uk


NGINEERS LECTRONICS FOR


To ensure that you continue to receive your free personal copy of this magazine, please fi ll in the reader registration card, or register online at www. connectingindustry.co.uk


Electronics Today is sent free of charge to individuals who meet the publisher’s strict terms of control. Annual subscription rates are: UK - £103


Overseas - £137 ISSN 1472-1309


Datateam Business Media Ltd., London Road,


Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LY.


Tel: 01622 687031 Fax: 01622 757646 www.datateam.co.uk


Registered in England No 1771113


A roundup of Southern Manufacturing & Electronics


From 3–5 February 2026, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026 returned to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre for its best-attended edition in its 29-year history. The show welcomed 10,722 attendees and 571 exhibitors, representing a 5.6 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor attendance. Major names including Sony, Panasonic, Matsuura and Mazak were also on the show fl oor.


© 2025 Datateam Business Media Ltd London Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LY


The paper used in this magazine is obtained from manufacturers who operate within internationally recognised standards. The paper is made from Elementary Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp, which is sourced from sustainable, properly managed forestation.


The seminar programme attracted a number of attendees, featuring a full schedule of free-to-attend, CPD-accredited sessions delivered across two theatres. Sessions explored topics including digital transformation, supply chain resilience, sustainability, process optimisation and advanced manufacturing, with an emphasis on practical insight and real-world implementation. Among the speakers was Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, who delivered an overview of the manufacturing landscape. His presentation examined the pressures facing UK manufacturers, alongside the opportunities available to SMEs through innovation and long-term investment.


Over the three days, visitors also heard from speakers representing leading organisations including Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Renishaw, Airbus and Sourceability, alongside a range of technical specialists and solution providers.


4 FEBRUARY 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS


Samuel Jo es


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50