Bengaluru: Chip maker Nvidia Corp and electronics maker Foxconn announced a partnership on Tuesday (Jan. 3) to develop a self-driving car platform.
Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn has announced that it will build automotive electronic control units (ECUs) based on Nvidia’s DRIVE Orin chips, purpose-built for computing in connected and self-driving vehicles.
Foxconn says the ECU will serve the global automotive market.
Companies developing electric and self-driving cars have struggled to bring their products to market in recent years as they grapple with rising costs and difficulties in ramping up production.
Nvidia said its technology, which includes chips for processing information from sensors in real time, could help Foxconn overcome some of these challenges.
The company has identified a US$300 billion (RM1.32 trillion) market opportunity in the automotive sector and reported revenue of US$251 million in the third quarter from this segment.
The chipmakers said the partnership will allow them to expand their efforts to meet the growing demand for chips for autonomous and connected cars.
Foxconn, which operates a vehicle manufacturing facility in Ohio, said its vehicles will be equipped with ECUs based on DRIVE Orin and Nvidia’s DRIVE Hyperion sensors for autonomous driving.
Taiwan-based Foxconn, which manufactures electric vehicles for Lordstown Motors Corp, has a contract to build Fisker Inc’s second car model, the PEAR. It also manufactures Apple Inc products.
The company said in October that it hopes to eventually build cars for Tesla as it ramps up production of electric vehicles to diversify its business. – Reuters