Intel has made a groundbreaking entry into the chip industry for real cars by introducing the software-defined vehicle (SDV) SoC, an x86-based chip that serves as the car’s main processing unit. In addition, Intel announced the acquisition of Silicon Mobility SAS, a company specializing in energy management chips for vehicles.
According to Intel, their SoC chips have already been deployed in 50 million cars. However, the automotive market is undergoing a major transformation towards software-defined vehicles, shifting from the use of numerous small electronic control units (ECUs) to a single high-performance main processing unit. This new approach works in collaboration with fewer than 50 ECUs through an Ethernet network, as if it were bringing computer architecture into cars. This is where Intel’s expertise lies.
Intel’s strategy is to bring their PC-based chips, known as “AI PC” in the market, into cars. The first generation of the SDV SoC chip doesn’t have an official name yet, but it is a 12-core CPU with Xe graphics, consumes 12-45W of power, supports up to four displays, and meets the AEC-Q100 standard for automotive applications.
Intel also demonstrated the use of the SDV SoC chip in a car, connecting it with surround cameras and integrating other processing chips, such as the RealSense Vision V5-A for image processing or the Intel Arc GPU for multitasking, such as normal driving functions, in-car displays, video conferencing, and even playing AAA games inside the vehicle.
The first car manufacturer to announce the use of this SoC chip is Zeekr, Geely’s electric vehicle brand from China.
TL;DR: Intel is disrupting the car industry with its software-defined vehicle SoC chip, which replaces multiple small ECUs with a single high-performance unit. The chip’s capabilities include advanced image processing and multitasking for various in-car functions. Zeekr, a brand under Geely, will be one of the first car manufacturers to adopt this groundbreaking technology.
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