电动车公社·2025-06-17 16:28Core Viewpoint - The automotive industry is entering a new era of chip self-research and high computing power, driven by the need for advanced autonomous driving capabilities, particularly L3 level automation, as exemplified by companies like Xiaopeng and NIO [6][39][60]. Group 1: Chip Development and Competition - The competition for automotive computing power began around 2021, initiated by NVIDIA's Orin-X chip, which boasts a computing power of 254 TOPS, significantly surpassing Mobileye's Q5H and Tesla's HW3.0 [1][6]. - Companies like NIO have adopted multiple Orin-X chips, achieving over 1000 TOPS in computing power [3]. - The automotive computing power has fluctuated between 80 to 1000 TOPS over the past four years, but a new phase has emerged in 2023 with the introduction of self-developed chips [5][34]. Group 2: Self-Developed Chips and Industry Trends - Xiaopeng's self-developed 5nm chip, NX9031, is expected to reach 2000 TOPS with two chips in the ET9 model, while the Xiaopeng G7 features three self-developed Turing AI chips, achieving 2200 TOPS [6][39]. - The trend of automakers developing their own chips is gaining momentum, similar to Tesla's earlier journey, as companies seek to overcome the limitations of the "black box" model previously used with suppliers like Mobileye [9][30]. - The emergence of domestic chip companies like Horizon and Black Sesame Intelligence is diversifying the market, with many automakers now developing their own chips that can compete with NVIDIA's flagship products [35][38]. Group 3: The Shift to L3 Autonomous Driving - The automotive industry is approaching the L3 autonomous driving era, with Xiaopeng defining its G7 as the "world's first L3 level AI car" [39]. - The effective computing power required for L3 autonomous driving has been clarified by Xiaopeng at 2200 TOPS, indicating a significant leap from L2 systems [43][55]. - The transition to L3 involves not only technological advancements but also a shift in liability, as vehicles may be held accountable for accidents, increasing pressure on automakers to refine their technologies [56][58]. Group 4: Challenges in Chip Development - The journey of self-developing chips is fraught with challenges, including architectural issues and the risk of costly failures during the chip manufacturing process [62][64]. - Companies must also ensure that their chips meet stringent automotive safety standards, which can extend the validation period significantly [69]. - The need for large-scale production to recoup development costs is critical, with estimates suggesting that around 1 million units may be necessary for profitability [71].