According to Reuters, on January 9th, Intel announced that it would launch an automotive version of its latest artificial intelligence (AI) chip, entering competition with Qualcomm and Nvidia in the semiconductor market powering the future automotive brain.
Intel also stated that it would acquire the French startup Silicon Mobility, without disclosing the specific acquisition price. Silicon Mobility designs on-chip systems technology and software for controlling electric vehicle motors and in-car charging systems, currently held by venture funds Cipio Partners and Capital-E.
Jack Weast, head of Intel's automotive business, mentioned that Chinese automaker XPeng will be the first to use Intel's AI chip system to create an "enhanced cockpit experience" in cars, including AI voice assistants and video conferencing.
Weast noted that Intel's new automotive chip system product would leverage the company's recently launched AI personal computer technology to meet the performance requirements of automobiles. Intel plans to offer chips that car manufacturers can use across their product lines, covering both budget and high-end vehicles for differentiation in competition.
As of now, Intel's chips have been applied to the infotainment systems of 50 million cars. However, in the semiconductor market for autonomous driving technology, upgradable car system software, and complex dashboards, Intel has fallen behind Nvidia and Qualcomm. Weast stated, "Intel has done a terrible job of advertising our performance in the automotive space. We are going to change that."
According to Weast, Intel will not mandate automakers to use advanced driving chips designed by Mobileye. Instead, car manufacturers can have Intel integrate their own chips into the Intel system at a lower cost to incorporate specific functionalities.
