Photo: @greentheonly via Twitter
Tesla only introduced the Hardware 4 Autopilot computer earlier this year, and software support is still in its infancy. Still, the EV market leader is already working on the next generation. A new report indicates that Tesla once again partnered with Samsung to build the Hardware 5 chips using the 4-nanometer node.
When they learned about the Hardware 4 Autopilot computer, Tesla owners freaked out about the obsolete Hardware 3. There were certain aspects of the new components that made people excited and worried at the same time. Elon Musk said that the previous iteration of the Autopilot hardware was all that was needed to achieve full self-driving. Then, Musk also noted that HW4 would be 3-5 times better than HW3, offering essential benefits in terms of safety. He also said it would not be practical to retrofit HW4 components on HW3 vehicles.
This combination of factors made many postpone the purchase while waiting for the new-generation hardware to launch. And it did this spring with the refreshed Model S and Model X. Soon, the first owners discovered that the software support was still limited, with many features missing. Notably, the FSD Beta doesn't run on the new hardware, although Tesla promised to release a compatible build soon. In the meantime, Tesla at least offered Vision-based park assist.
The new report means that Tesla expects a much higher production level by that time, corroborating with the Gen-3 platform launch. Tesla doesn't want to put all the eggs in one basket and aims to diversify its supply base. There aren't many options for chip production, though, with Samsung and TSMC being the most advanced contract manufacturers. Considering the production numbers Tesla plans for its next-gen affordable EV, sourcing all the chips from a single company could pose serious challenges.
According to KED, Samsung president Lee Jay-yong met with Tesla's Elon Musk in May at a Samsung research center in Silicon Valley. Samsung reportedly offered Musk a very compelling deal that he couldn't refuse. Samsung is a long-time partner of Tesla, having supplied HW3 chips for the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y.
The Korean chip giant makes only 5% of its business from automotive products. Still, it wants to vastly expand its reach in this sector with the advent of autonomous vehicles. Samsung has already signed up autonomous-vehicle chip designer Ambarella and advanced driver assistance systems maker Mobileye. The company plans to expand its foundry capacity at its main chip-making plant in Korea and begin operations at a new plant in Taylor, Texas, by 2024.
This combination of factors made many postpone the purchase while waiting for the new-generation hardware to launch. And it did this spring with the refreshed Model S and Model X. Soon, the first owners discovered that the software support was still limited, with many features missing. Notably, the FSD Beta doesn't run on the new hardware, although Tesla promised to release a compatible build soon. In the meantime, Tesla at least offered Vision-based park assist.
The Hardware 5 chips will be produced by Samsung
Although Hardware 4 capabilities are still not fully utilized, Tesla is already pressing ahead with the next generation. According to a Korea Economic Daily (KED) report, the Hardware 5 Autopilot computer will use Samsung chips manufactured on the company's 4-nanometer node. Tesla aims to mass-produce HW5 computers in about three-to-four years from now. This is surprising, considering that Tesla initially chose Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) as its manufacturing partner for the HW5 chips.The new report means that Tesla expects a much higher production level by that time, corroborating with the Gen-3 platform launch. Tesla doesn't want to put all the eggs in one basket and aims to diversify its supply base. There aren't many options for chip production, though, with Samsung and TSMC being the most advanced contract manufacturers. Considering the production numbers Tesla plans for its next-gen affordable EV, sourcing all the chips from a single company could pose serious challenges.
According to KED, Samsung president Lee Jay-yong met with Tesla's Elon Musk in May at a Samsung research center in Silicon Valley. Samsung reportedly offered Musk a very compelling deal that he couldn't refuse. Samsung is a long-time partner of Tesla, having supplied HW3 chips for the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y.
The Korean chip giant makes only 5% of its business from automotive products. Still, it wants to vastly expand its reach in this sector with the advent of autonomous vehicles. Samsung has already signed up autonomous-vehicle chip designer Ambarella and advanced driver assistance systems maker Mobileye. The company plans to expand its foundry capacity at its main chip-making plant in Korea and begin operations at a new plant in Taylor, Texas, by 2024.
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