Tesla Working with AMD to Develop Artificial Intelligence Chip for Self-Driving Cars

author: Eric Walz   

Electric carmaker Tesla is working with Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) to develop its own artificial intelligence (AI) chip for self-driving cars, CNBC reported on Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

AMD spin-off GlobalFoundries Inc Chief Executive Sanjay Jha said his company is working directly with Tesla, according to the CNBC report. The carmaker has received back samples of the first implementation of its processor and is now testing it, said a source familiar with the matter.

GlobalFoundries, which fabricates chips, has a wafer supply agreement in place with AMD.

Tesla isn't completely going it alone in chip development, according to the source, and will build on top of AMD intellectual property, CNBC reported.

More than 50 people are working on the project under Jim Keller, a longtime chip architect and the head of Autopilot hardware and software of Tesla, according to the report. Tesla hired Keller from AMD as new "Vice-President of Autopilot Hardware Engineering" in early 2016. At the time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the project was ‘super high priority'.

AMD shares were up nearly 5 percent in extended trading after the news report.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.