🎆Autowist Report 101

In-vehicle AI, Intel SDV Approach, Projector system Patent, TTTech Auto acquisition

Author

Harikrishnan Radhakrishnan
January 10, 2025

IN TODAY’S REPORT

💼BRIEFING

Top insights and analysis that is moving the needle in the automotive industry

⚡Could we get on-board AI in vehicles?

➡️Yesterday NVIDIA unveiled NVIDIA® Project DIGITS, a personal AI supercomputer that provides AI researchers, data scientists and students worldwide with access to the power of the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform.

➡️Project DIGITS features the new NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, offering a petaflop of AI computing performance for prototyping, fine-tuning and running large AI models.

➡️GB10 features an NVIDIA Blackwell GPU with latest-generation CUDA® cores and fifth-generation Tensor Cores, connected via NVLink®-C2C chip-to-chip interconnect to a high-performance NVIDIA Grace™ CPU, which includes 20 power-efficient cores built with the Arm architecture.

➡️MediaTek, a market leader in Arm-based SoC designs, collaborated on the design of GB10, contributing to its best-in-class power efficiency, performance and connectivity.

➡️Today’s collaboration is the latest between the two companies, building on MediaTek’s work with NVIDIA to bring drivers and passengers novel experiences inside the car with new MediaTek Dimensity Auto Cockpit chips. MediaTek’s Dimensity Auto Cockpit chips integrate NVIDIA’s next-gen GPU-accelerated AI computing and NVIDIA RTX graphics.

💡 I see all the pieces of the puzzle aligning. Maybe not now, but in a few years to enable onboard AI in vehicles. Whether this is ROI +ve and if there is a business case to this, is yet to be seen. The ultimate blockade to allowing AI-based tech handle more functions in a vehicle would be to secure it and ensure it's functioning and making it on-board opens up that solution.

💡But if IMAX is possible in cars, then why not on-prem AI in vehicles. If you follow the path of computing which started from rooms, to desks, to the pocket, then to the cloud and to vehicles. Computing for AI could also take a similar path.

🎯Intel’s whole vehicle approach towards SDV

Intel introduced a comprehensive, software-defined vehicle (SDV) platform that spans high-performance computing, discrete graphics, AI, power management, and zonal controller solutions, all integrated with a new Automotive Virtual Development Environment (VDE) co-developed with AWS. This “whole-vehicle” approach aims to reduce development costs, improve performance, and streamline the design of electric and software-defined vehicles.

Additionally, Intel and AWS introduced the Intel Automotive Virtual Development Environment, enabling engineers to move seamlessly between virtual and physical hardware setups without expensive simulators. Together, these offerings underscore Intel’s system-level advantage in delivering cost efficiency, scalability, and faster time-to-market for automakers worldwide.

💡The interesting part about Intel’s approach is that they are bundling a dev. environment together with their product. Today in most cases, for most OEM/Chip vendor combination, the OEM is left with figuring out ways to kickstart a virtual development environment. But providing that with the SoC is definelty the way to go. From the OEM side it saves time and effort in the early parts of the project, while for the Chip vendors side, they get more flexibility in the HW timelines and get a much deeper understanding on their product as it is already being used by their customer early on.

💡That said, I dont think this is still enough for Intel to establish itself in the automotive space. They are still miles behind the other players in the overall offering.

🎆Interesting bits from Ford CEO about their approach towards SW

“The problem is the software [is] all written by, you know, 150 different companies and they don’t talk to each other,” Farley said. “Even though it says Ford on the front, I actually have to go to Bosch to get permission to change their seat control software.”

Farley described the current system as a “loose confederation of software providers,” with disparate programming languages and structures making it difficult for Ford to manage or update the software comprehensively.

“That’s why at Ford we’ve decided in the second generation product to completely insource electric architecture,” Farley said. “To do that you need to write all the software yourself, but just remember car companies have never written software like this, ever, so we’re literally writing how the vehicle operates the software to operate the vehicle for the first time ever.”

Jim Farley, Ford CEO

🌆 Toyota Woven City

➡️"Toyota Woven City," a Test Course for Mobility, Completes Phase 1 Construction and Prepares for Launch

➡️Woven City is a test course for mobility where "Inventors" who share a commitment to working "for someone other than themselves" can develop, test, and validate innovative products and services. These inventors include Toyota and Toyota Group companies, such as WbyT, as well as external companies, startups, and individual entrepreneurs. (Source: Toyota)

💡The strategic benefits of such a city is two-fold. First, is that it is able to attract talent from the startup world, entrepreneurs, and from the academia to causes that are more close to Toyota. Secondly, together with their accelerator program they get a YC-like pick on the latest and greatest innovations in the mobility space.

🌩️ Valeo and AWS partner

➡️ Valeo and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announce collaboration to build powerful new digital services for the automotive industry and simplify the development process for automotive engineers to support the revolution of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV)

⚡This is particularly important for Valeo to get their Hardware lab product to the market. Valeo Virtualized Hardware Lab enables car manufacturers to test software on virtualized Electronic Control Units (vECU) and Sensor Models (VESM) allowing automotive engineers to deploy vECU and VESM hosted on AWS in a few minutes into any workbench of a customer, globally. Valeo intends to make the Valeo Virtualized Hardware Lab available on AWS Marketplace in Q1/2025. The solution will allow (Source: Valeo)

🌾QT launches a low-code solution to build Qt projects.

➡️Qt Group has launched Qt Accelerate, an express-lane solution to building applications in digital products for use cases in industrial manufacturing, mobility, consumer electronics, and more to come.

➡️Built on Qt Framework, Qt Accelerate gives users ready-to-deploy, industry-grade templates for software-defined products whose look, feel, and functionality can be easily customized. This gives organizations of all sizes a quick and cost-effective start on digital product development, regardless of time constraints or expertise in coding, hardware, and design.

💡The key point here is if they are successful in building a no-code/low-code alternative to their current framework they will be able to massively increase their customer base and revenue. With such a product companies need a smaller team to build and maintain the same digital product. Which means QT can also charge a higher premium for such a product that businesses would be willing to pay for the extra productivity save. They could begin to use strategies to role it out to schools, academia and adjacent industries too gain new markets ( a similar strategy to that of MATLAB). Owing to the news the stock ticked up yesterday.

🚨Pure Storage and Micron Collaborate to Deliver Scalable, Energy-Efficient Solutions for Hyperscale Data Centers

➡️Pure Storage and Micron have expanded their longstanding collaboration to deliver next-generation storage solutions for hyperscalers. Building on a decade of joint innovation, the partnership integrates Micron’s G9 QLC NAND with Pure Storage’s DirectFlash technology. This combination is designed to address modern data center challenges: energy efficiency, dense storage capacity, and high performance.

💸Citing this news and the mentions by Nvidia CEO about Micron being an integral supplier to build the blackwell GPUs, saw the Micron stock ticking up. The GeForce RTX 50 will make use of Micron's high-bandwidth memory (HBM) solutions and is a consumer-level chip. TMicron expects that the annual market for HBM chips will expand to $100 billion by 2030 -- up from $16 billion in 2024.

🤖 Audi <-> TTTech <-> NXP <-> QNX <-> Vector

➡️QNX, Vector, and TTTech Auto have teamed up to develop a foundational software platform for next-generation vehicles, aiming to simplify integration and let automakers focus on innovative features.

➡️Concurrently, TTTech announced it is divesting its 35.8% stake in TTTech Auto to NXP for $625 million, accelerating the move to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) by integrating TTTech Auto’s safety software into NXP’s CoreRide platform.

💡So technically, it is NXP that is going in collaboration with QNX and Vector. TTTech's major shareholder is Audi, so Audi is actually divesting itself from TTTech Auto. QNX has a safety certified OS and TTTech Auto brings in Safety related SW. I suspect that in the trend of suppliers becoming partners, they are building up competence to provide full functionality and platform to customer OEMs.

⚡ROUNDUP

Key headlines shaping the auto industry this week

  • BMW’s Panoramic iDrive Brings Pillar-To-Pillar Display To Future Models, Eliminates Knob (Link)

  • AWS Collaborates with Honda to Realize Honda’s Next Generation of Software-Defined Vehicles and Improve EV Charging Experiences with Generative AI (Link)

  • Charging Ahead: Key Geographical Clusters For Electric Trucks (Link)

  • VicOne Expands Collaboration with NXP Semiconductors to Enable Automakers to Securely and Confidently Differentiate Vehicles with AI Cockpits and Other Innovative, AI-Powered Services (Link)

  • Xpeng And VW To Build 20,000 EV Chargers Across China (Link)

  • Lucid’s +450 mile range Gravity SUV will use new Panasonic EV batteries (Link)

  • Mainland China plans stricter controls on lithium technology exports (Link)

  • Bosch nabs $225M in CHIPS funds (Link)

  • Stellantis partners with dSPACE to accelerate cloud-based development of vehicles (Link)

  • ZF secures substantial brake-by-wire technology business for light vehicles (Link)

  • The Sony-Honda AFEELA 1 EV will start from $89,900 (Link)

  • Ford to Build In-House Software Team to Simplify Vehicle Architecture (Link)

  • Hyundai and Kia lose ground in their home country (Link)

  • Nikola Shares Drop 33% Amid Delayed Q4 Delivery Numbers (Link)

  • Amazon Autos launches online sales (Link)

  • BMW’s New Infotainment System Is A Boomer’s Nightmare (Link)

  • Rolls-Royce capitalises on custom luxury, invests US$370m (Link)

  • Intel accelerates software-defined innovation with whole-vehicle approach (Link)

  • NXP Semiconductors acquires TTTech Auto for $625 million (Link)

  • Google Maps Rival Gets Major Update To Make Navigation "A Lot More Precise" (Link)

  • Honda partners with Renesas for developing advanced system-on-chip for software-defined vehicles (Link)

  • CES 2025: Texas Instruments unveils new automotive chips (Link)

  • New Mahindra EV, battery assembly plant in Chakan unveiled (Link)

  • VW Admits Most Scout Buyers Want Gas Trucks (Link)

  • CATL Added To Blacklisted Chinese Brands By Pentagon For Alleged Chinese Military Ties (Link)

🔬PATENT WATCH

Fresh Innovations from global automotive OEMs

📽️Hybrid Projector System with Self Test (Patent by GM)

A projector system for a vehicle’s head-up display includes a vehicle vector graphics projector configured to project a second graphical image—with brightness exceeding that of a first graphical image—onto the inner surface of the vehicle’s windshield, wherein the second graphical image comprises at least one vehicle tell-tale. A calibration system is further provided to test and calibrate any displayed tell-tales within this second graphical image.

Key Components in the Invention

  1. A digital light projector (DLP) for projecting broad or complex graphics (e.g., infotainment, 2D/3D images).

  2. A vector graphics projector (VGP) for projecting high-brightness or critical alerts (e.g., vehicle tell-tales).

Elements of the invention:

  • Windshield Substrate with Embedded Phosphors

    • The windshield (or a reference windshield) has phosphors that emit visible light when excited by ultraviolet or violet light from the projectors.

    • Enables transparent, edge-to-edge displays without compromising the driver's view of the road.

  • Vector Graphics Projector (VGP) Design

    • Multiple Light Source Modules (each with LED arrays, optical filters, and focusing lenses).

    • Optionally uses fiber-optic couplers or dichroic mirrors to combine different wavelengths (e.g., 380 nm, 405 nm, 460 nm) into a single output beam.

    • An optoelectrical mirror (e.g., a scanning mirror or DMD) directs/collimates the light, creating precise and bright vector graphics (e.g., highlighting hazards or warnings).

  • Digital Light Projector (DLP)

    • Generates complex color images by splitting white light into RGB components and using a digital micromirror device (DMD).

    • Displays overall AR imagery, maps, or infotainment content on the windshield.

  • Calibration System for Telltales

    • A reference calibration system (with a reference windshield, reference projector, and reference cameras) is used to measure and correct distortions.

    • A vehicle camera on the actual projector then refines calibration in the production windshield, ensuring accurate positioning/brightness of projected vehicle tell-tales.

    • Calibration matrices (deviation, transformation) account for differences in windshield curvature, thickness, and projector alignment, so critical alerts (e.g., warnings, speed indicators) appear accurately.

🐦AUTO BUZZ

Top posts, tweets, and videos from the automotive industry

📈MARKET SNAPSHOT

This week’s key movers in the automotive stock market