Nvidia chips and sensors to feature in Foxconn electric vehicles

Foxconn targets EV portfolio growth and brings Nvidia along for the ride

CES Hon Hai Technology Group, the electronics manufacturer and iPhone part maker better known as Foxconn, will use Nvidia chips in its autonomous vehicle platforms, it announced Tuesday ahead of CES 2023.

The companies said autonomous vehicle focused Nvidia's DRIVE Orin chip and DRIVE Hyperion sensors will feature in Foxconn's electronic control units (ECUs) destined for a global market. The Nvidia DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip serves as the metaphorical brains of the vehicle and the sensors as the central nervous system.

"The partnership with Foxconn will allow NVIDIA to further scale its efforts and meet growing industry demand as more transportation leaders select DRIVE Orin for intelligent vehicles," said the announcement. "In addition, by building EVs on the DRIVE Hyperion qualified sensor set, Foxconn will speed up its time-to-market and time-to-cost strategies."

The companies did not say which vehicles will include the designated brains and nervous systems. It currently has five EV models in its buy to brand line-up.

The Taiwanese electronics company revealed in October a new line of EVs for other companies to badge as it continues a portfolio expansion beyond component manufacturing into areas like AI, robotics and of course, autonomous driving.

As of late last year, Foxconn also has its own in-house electric vehicle software platform, HHEV.OS, which it hoped would become the standard for the company's open software platform, MIH, that's been around for about three years.

In May 2022, Foxconn finalized the purchase of electric vehicle company Lordstown Motors' Ohio manufacturing plant for $230 million and is the contract manufacturer for the company's first vehicle, the Endurance pickup truck.

Foxconn also is responsible for building Fisker's Project PEAR electric SUV in the Lordstown Motors Ohio plant, with production aiming to commence by the end of 2023.

The company said in October it hopes to eventually make EVs for Tesla.

Meanwhile, Tesla has celebrated the new year with a failure to meet analyst vehicle delivery prediction in its Q4 2022 results and plummeting stock value. ®