BYD Unveils First In-House Autonomous Driving Chip
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BYD Co. Ltd. has unveiled its first self-developed computing chip, joining a growing cohort of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) companies designing proprietary autonomous driving chips to reduce reliance on external suppliers.
BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu on Thursday introduced the 4-nanometer Xuanji A3 chip, which boasts a computing power of about 700 TOPS. While mass production has begun, Wang did not specify which vehicle model will use the chip or provide a deployment timeline.
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- BYD unveiled its first self-developed 4-nanometer Xuanji A3 chip with 700 TOPS computing power; mass production has begun.
- Chinese EV makers (XPeng, Nio, Li Auto) are increasingly designing proprietary chips to cut costs and reduce reliance on external suppliers like Nvidia.
- BYD sold over 4.6 million NEVs in 2025, easily meeting the scale threshold for cost-effective self-developed chips; production is outsourced to an overseas foundry.
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Who’s Who
- BYD Co. Ltd.
- BYD Co. Ltd. unveiled its first self-developed 4-nm Xuanji A3 chip (700 TOPS) for autonomous driving, now in mass production. The company sold over 4.6 million NEVs in 2025. BYD Semiconductor, established in 2002, employs 7,000+ R&D staff with five wafer fabs, though the new chip is produced overseas.
- XPeng Inc.
- XPeng Inc. began deploying its self-developed Turing chip in July 2025, transitioning nearly all main products to the proprietary chip by April 2026. Chairman He Xiaopeng emphasized that proprietary chips allow customization for in-house AI models, reducing reliance on external suppliers.
- Nio Inc.
- Nio Inc. debuted its self-developed Shenji chip on vehicles in March 2025, with plans to expand usage. Chairman William Li noted over $300 million spent on Nvidia chips in 2024. CFO Yu Qu said in June 2025 that using proprietary chips reduced costs by about 10,000 yuan ($1,477) per vehicle.
- Li Auto Inc.
- Li Auto Inc. recently launched an SUV featuring its proprietary Mahe 100 chip. Chairman Li Xiang stated that AI-era competition involves systemic capabilities integrating chip architecture, operating systems, and algorithmic models, not just isolated components.
- Nvidia Corp.
- Nvidia Corp. is a global semiconductor giant challenged by Chinese EV makers developing proprietary chips to reduce reliance on external suppliers. Nvidia's processors are popular among carmakers, but companies like BYD, Nio, and XPeng are designing their own chips to cut costs and improve efficiency. Nio spent over $300 million on Nvidia chips in 2024.
- Qualcomm Inc.
- Qualcomm Inc. is a global semiconductor giant that supplies chips to carmakers, competing with Nvidia and domestic Chinese players like Huawei and Horizon Robotics. In the context of Chinese EV makers developing proprietary chips, Qualcomm remains a key supplier alongside Nvidia, but faces increasing competition as automakers shift to in-house designs.
- Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
- Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is mentioned as a domestic player in the autonomous driving chip market, alongside Qualcomm and Horizon Robotics. The article highlights Huawei as a competitor to global semiconductor giants, with its processors used by carmakers alongside Nvidia and others. No further details on its chips are provided.
- Horizon Robotics
- Horizon Robotics is a Chinese domestic player in the autonomous driving chip market, mentioned alongside Qualcomm and Huawei. It competes with automakers like BYD, XPeng, Nio, and Li Auto, which are developing proprietary chips to reduce reliance on external suppliers like Horizon Robotics.
- Momenta
- Momenta is a third-party supplier of smart-driving technologies mentioned as a partner for BYD's intelligent driving systems. The article notes that BYD integrates technologies from suppliers like Momenta, though it hasn't clarified whether its new Xuanji A3 chip will be compatible with third-party systems.
- BYD Semiconductor Co. Ltd.
- BYD Semiconductor Co. Ltd., established from a 2002 team, focuses on power semiconductors. It employs over 7,000 R&D staff and operates five wafer plants, including China's largest 12-inch automotive-grade facility. However, its advanced computing chips like the Xuanji A3 are designed in-house but produced by an overseas foundry.
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What Happened When
- Before 2002：
- BYD established its semiconductor team.
- 2025-02：
- BYD launched an aggressive upgrade campaign for intelligent driving technology.
- 2025-03：
- Nio Inc.'s Shenji chip debuted on its vehicles.
- 2025-06：
- Nio CFO Yu Qu stated that using self-developed chips in updated models reduced costs by about 10,000 yuan per vehicle.
- 2025-07：
- XPeng Inc. began deploying its self-developed Turing chip.
- 2026：
- Li Auto Inc. launched an SUV model featuring its own Mahe 100 chip.
- 2026-04：
- XPeng Inc. transitioned nearly all of its main products to the proprietary Turing chip.
- 2026-05：
- Li Auto Chairman Li Xiang stated that competition in the AI era is about systemic capabilities integrating chip architecture, operating systems, and algorithmic models.
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