XPENG's Chip Taped Out with 3x AI Power

Xpeng Motors has successfully completed the tape-out phase of its newly developed smart driving chip. This advanced chip is specifically engineered to address AI requirements and support comprehensive end-to-end models, featuring a central computing architecture that integrates driving and passenger cabin functions. Its AI processing capabilities are reported to be comparable to the combined power of three leading smart driving chips.

On August 27, Xpeng will officially introduce this new chip during its 10th-anniversary celebration and the launch event for the M03 model.

Xpeng began assembling its chip development team in 2020 and initially collaborated with U.S.-based chip design company Marvell. However, the partnership faced challenges as Xpeng sought more customized solutions than Marvell could provide. As a result, Xpeng ended the collaboration and incurred a financial settlement with Marvell.

In 2022, Xpeng transitioned to SoC solutions provider SoC, which has since managed the backend design for Xpeng's chips.

Additionally, NIO has made notable progress with its smart driving chip, the "Shenji NX9031," which has completed its tape-out phase and is currently undergoing testing. The Shenji NX9031 is scheduled to debut in NIO's flagship ET9 sedan in the first quarter of 2025. At the NIO IN 2024 Innovation Day, NIO Founder and CEO William Li demonstrated the Shenji NX9031, which surpassed initial performance expectations.

The Shenji NX9031 is the first high-end smart driving chip to be manufactured using 5nm automotive-grade technology. Both the chip and its underlying software are developed in-house by NIO. Li highlighted that the Shenqi NX9031 features over 50 billion transistors and is designed to offer the performance of four leading industry flagship chips. Detailed performance metrics will be disclosed in future updates.

In the realm of chip development, Li Auto has also been investing in its project code-named "Schumacher," with plans to complete the tape-out phase by the end of this year. This initiative aims to achieve further breakthroughs in smart driving technology.