Updated
Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 20
Waymo Puts 5nm ASIC Into Robotaxis, Cutting Reliance on Nvidia
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 20

Waymo Puts 5nm ASIC Into Robotaxis, Cutting Reliance on Nvidia

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 20

Summary

  • Waymo said its custom ASIC is now in production in the latest generation of its robotaxis, moving the chip from unveiling to deployment.
  • The 5nm chip is meant to sharpen vehicle reflexes and navigation in complex urban driving by processing Waymo’s self-designed sensor data more efficiently.
  • Waymo also framed the in-house chip as a supply-chain hedge, reducing dependence on third-party providers such as Nvidia while still using other chips in its compute stack.
  • The rollout extends Waymo’s broader autonomous-driving system, which it said delivers more than 1,000 TOPS of machine-learning performance and supports 13 high-resolution cameras.

Insights

Why did Waymo abandon standard off-the-shelf chips to secretly build its own autonomous brain?
How does Waymo's custom 5nm chip predict unpredictable human behavior on the road before it happens?
If dual redundant onboard systems fail, what ultimate fail-safe keeps Waymo's driverless robotaxis from crashing?