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Mediatek, a Taiwanese semiconductor supplier specializing in connectivity and multimedia circuits, has teamed up with Nvidia, an American company, to create software and connected intelligent cabin solutions for the automotive industry. Indeed, at Computex 2023 in Taipei, the two groups announced that they were working together on infotainment chips for the automotive sector.

Their objective? Solutions for all types of vehicles, from low-cost entry-level models to high-end models, offering drivers and their passengers new, safe, secure and above all enjoyable in-car experiences. These new chips will be able to stream video, as well as games, while offering improved interaction between the vehicle and its driver thanks to a good layer of artificial intelligence.

Mediatek possesses notable strengths in advanced integration technologies (SoC) and wireless network expertise (Auto Connect), allowing it to compete effectively with Qualcomm in the smartphone market. However, there were certain foundational elements it lacked. Recognizing the significance of raw computing power and software expertise, Mediatek turned to Nvidia. Nvidia offers a comprehensive suite of software tools, including the complete Nvidia DRIVE OS operating system, DRIVE IX for cabin management and external sensors, CUDA GPU computation acceleration, and the TensorRT deep learning SDK. With these software capabilities, Nvidia provides Mediatek with the essential building blocks required to drive automotive innovation.

Furthermore, the automotive industry has witnessed a notable surge in the capabilities and intricacy of infotainment systems, thanks in part to the influence of Tesla and a few other key players. As highlighted by Reuters, onboard computers have been evolving rapidly in recent years, offering an ever-expanding range of features such as voice commands, streaming services, and even AI-powered driver assistance systems that enable gaming. These advancements have spurred chip manufacturers to strive for greater innovation.

In light of this context, NVIDIA and MediaTek have jointly announced a partnership that aims to foster closer ties with the automotive industry. This collaboration holds the potential to facilitate the development of cutting-edge solutions catering to the unique demands of the automotive sector. In terms of investment, the automotive market experiences significant growth, with Nvidia projecting a staggering $12 billion for the automotive SoC market in 2023, it remains a highly fragmented industry. Established players like NXP, who have been in the market for a considerable period, leverage their expertise in developing “professional” chips. Meanwhile, Qualcomm utilizes its dominant position in connectivity, controlling 80% of the global automotive connectivity market, to promote its Snapdragon Drive chips. However, the emergence of autonomous features necessitates substantial power requirements for cars, emphasizing the need for significant power capabilities

At the conclusion of 2025, the first set of products is anticipated to be introduced by the two companies. MediaTek, which competes with Qualcomm, made an announcement in January about its partnership with Salesforce. The objective of this collaboration is to develop a new platform for connected vehicles by combining MediaTek’s “Digital Chassis,” a semiconductor design, with Salesforce’s cloud services.

 

A propos de Mathilde Thioux