Intel is Bringing AI PCs into the Automotive Sector with Zeekr as the First Company to Adopt the New Chip
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Months ago, Intel's CEO announced the integration of AI into 'everything,' and now we are beginning to see its first applications clearly. The company has now announced AI-focused chips for the automotive sector, dubbed the 'first-generation AI-enhanced software-defined vehicle system-on-chip.' Additionally, Intel announced the acquisition of an energy management company and is working to standardize electric vehicle battery power.
In its competition with Nvidia and AMD, Intel is doubling down on the automotive business, striving to become a leader in the processor and hardware market driving the AI boom. The company believes that cars will become the next great software platform, hence the introduction of new automotive chips designed to enhance the in-car experience. The first company to agree to install these chips in its vehicles is Zeekr, owned by China's Geely, with the first Zeekr models equipped with Intel's AI hardware set to hit the market later this year.
"We're bringing AI PCs into the automotive space," said Jack Weast, Intel's Vice President and General Manager of the Automotive Division, during a discussion with reporters last week. However, he cautioned: "But we can't simply put PCs into cars. We know automakers need to redesign their vehicles, as I mentioned earlier, to achieve software-defined capabilities."
The company plans to launch a series of System-on-Chips (SoCs) for future software-defined vehicles (SDVs), with the first batch expected by the end of 2024. Intel hasn't disclosed other automotive customers beyond Zeekr but stated it's actively engaged in discussions with multiple original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The automotive industry faces a series of unique challenges as it attempts to incorporate increasingly complex computers into vehicles against the backdrop of mass adoption of electric vehicles and the evolution of more advanced software. Although 'vehicles becoming smartphones on wheels' has become a cliché, it remains true.
However, according to West, efforts to build software-defined vehicles still have a long way to go, primarily because Intel has not yet fully played its role. 'No one is really doing software-defined properly at the moment,' he said. 'We have a unique perspective and a set of unique capabilities that we believe can help the industry make its vehicles truly software-defined.'
Intel stated that its SoCs are already being used in 50 million vehicles, powering infotainment displays and dashboards. Starting with Zeekr, the company will demonstrate to various automakers how its AI-enhanced chips can help usher in a new era of software-defined vehicles. Cars equipped with Intel AI chips will feature enhanced voice assistants, improved video conferencing capabilities, and gaming options for rear-seat passengers. According to West, instead of navigating through multiple menus and submenus to toggle specific functions, drivers can simply instruct their cars to perform tasks. Enhanced safety features, such as driver monitoring systems for hands-free driving, are also a potential direction. Vehicles with Intel AI systems could even "proactively enable" safety features that the driver has turned off.
