Volkswagen has revealed plans to develop its first proprietary system-on-chip (SoC) for smart driving in China.
Volkswagen is partnering with Horizon Robotics, a Chinese smart driving solutions firm, to develop intelligent driving chips, joining other automakers to manufacture its own chips.
Carizon—a joint venture between Volkswagen’s software unit Cariad and Horizon Robotics—will independently produce its first System-on-Chip (SoC) in China.
At the 8th China International Import Expo, Volkswagen stated that the new chip, designed for China’s next-generation smart connected vehicles, will enable the automaker’s advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving functions.
The first SoC is expected to enter mass production and distribution within three to five years, offering a computing capacity of 500 to 700 TOPS per unit. Designed to improve real-time decision-making, safety redundancy, and the reliable performance of intelligent driving systems, the chip will be developed by combining Horizon Robotics’ hardware and software strengths with CARIAD’s system integration expertise.
The goal is to deliver a high-performance, energy-efficient, and cost-effective ADAS and autonomous driving platform customized for the Chinese market.
With Carizon’s first ADAS solution entering production in 2025 and reaching its vehicles by 2026, the launch of the new system-on-chip signals the beginning of the second phase of the automaker’s localized smart driving strategy.
The joint venture will concentrate on creating autonomous driving technologies built on Horizon Robotics’ Journey series chips, which are slated for integration into Volkswagen’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineup in China.
At first, the chips will be incorporated into Volkswagen’s Chinese models featuring L3 or higher autonomous driving capabilities. This approach will allow VW China to further localize key technologies and achieve end-to-end integration of software and hardware, from algorithms to chips.
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