Nvidia expands its reach in China’s electric vehicle sector
- Li Auto, Great Wall Motor, Zeekr and the new EV unit of Xiaomi will use Nvidia’s Drive technology to power automated driving, Nvidia said on Monday
- Nvidia and US rivals face challenges meeting China’s demands for powerful chips, while complying with US controls on semiconductor exports to China
Nvidia said four Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers will use its technology as the brains for intelligent automated-driving systems, underscoring the US chip tech company's determination to expand in China amid Washington’s tighter export rules.
Chinese carmakers Li Auto, Great Wall Motor, Zeekr and the new EV unit of Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi will use Nvidia’s Drive technology to power their next-generation fleets, US-based Nvidia said on Monday at the CES trade show in Las Vegas.
China’s rising EV brands are a key market for Nvidia’s automotive technology business. Chinese carmakers are racing each other to launch more advanced in-vehicle infotainment displays and automated driving functions. That has created a growth opportunity for Nvidia, Intel, Qualcomm and other semiconductor manufacturers.
Nvidia and its US-based rivals face challenges meeting demands from Chinese customers for powerful chips, while remaining in compliance with tighter US controls on exports of advanced semiconductors to China.
Non-tech Chinese firms tout orders of Nvidia chips, winning stock boosts
In related CES announcements, Nvidia said it is working with advertising giant WPP, Lotus and six other companies to develop more advanced online shopping tools.
Using Nvidia technology, carmakers and dealers hope to create online shopping sites with three dimensional graphics and more lifelike graphics, said Danny Shapiro, Nvidia’s vice-president for automotive.
