Xpeng’s autonomous driving chip, Turing, is set to be mass-produced in the second quarter and will be featured in one of the company’s new electric vehicle models, as reported by local media outlet 36kr. This in-house developed chip boasts two neural network processing units with specific architectural processing for neural networks, offering a 20 percent increase in utilization compared to general-purpose automotive chips. The Turing chip is capable of handling large models with up to 30 billion parameters, a significant feat in the industry.
The chip’s support for 30 billion parameters is notably high, surpassing competitors like Li Auto. However, concerns about potential latency issues for inference with larger model parameter counts remain unresolved. Xpeng announced the successful tape-out of the Turing chip on August 23, 2024, during the launch of its new model, the Mona M03. Tape-out is a crucial step in converting a circuit design into a chip that can be produced on an assembly line.
Xpeng’s chairman and CEO, He Xiaopeng, revealed that the Turing chip will be utilized in the company’s electric vehicles, robots, and flying cars. With a computing power of around 700 TOPS, the Turing chip is on par with Nvidia’s latest Thor chip. Nvidia’s Thor chip, initially designed for 2,000 TOPS, has faced challenges in mass production, leading to a reduced computing power of 750 TOPS.
In-house developed chips like Turing and Nio’s Shenji NX9031 chip offer car companies the opportunity to expedite the rollout of new models. Nio’s Shenji NX9031 chip, already in mass production, is featured in the ET9 model and upcoming models like the ES6, EC6, and ET5. Li Auto is also nearing the tape-out stage for its autonomous driving chip, signaling a shift towards utilizing in-house developed chips for future vehicles.
As Xpeng prepares to mass-produce the Turing chip and incorporate it into their new models, the company’s commitment to innovation and self-reliance in chip development is evident. The autonomous driving chip landscape is evolving rapidly, with in-house developed chips becoming increasingly prevalent among leading automakers. Stay tuned for more updates on Xpeng’s latest advancements in autonomous driving technology.
