The chip is a processor that powers the next version of Rivian\u2019s on-board computer. Dubbed Autonomy Compute Module 3, it\u2019s capable of 1600 sparse INT8 (8-bit integer) TOPS (trillion operations per second) and 5 billion pixels per second of processing power. Without getting too deep into the bits and bytes, these numbers are indicative of bar-setting performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Rivian\u2019s new chip will power the automaker\u2019s next generation of vehicles. Image: Rivian <\/p>\n
Rivian is talking about data with numbers that boggle the mind. For scale, Rivian says this new setup will quadruple the capabilities of the Nvidia-chip-centered system it\u2019s currently using.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rivian focuses on the neural engine and a new middleware stack\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Semiconductors are the brains that run just about everything digital in our lives now, from smartphones to cars. Chip manufacturing generally requires a multi-billion dollar facility with cleanrooms and an incredibly complex process that results in tiny silicon-based wafers. That\u2019s not what Rivian is doing; the automaker sources the chip itself, but the design and housing are all done in-house by Rivian. Designing an in-house chip was just a dream a couple of years ago, but it\u2019s a massive advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re cognizant of the fact that we are a car company, not a full time chip company,\u201d says\u00a0Vidya Rajagopalan, Rivian\u2019s senior vice president of electrical hardware<\/a>. Rajagopalan worked on the Model 3 at Tesla and for several silicon and systems companies before joining Rivian in 2020, and she knows what she\u2019s talking about. Rivian works with ARM and uses the company\u2019s microprocessor while Rivian designed the core, which is the neural engine. That\u2019s the most important part of the chip, Rajagopalan says, and that\u2019s where Rivian adds the most value.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBuilding a chip is time consuming and requires a world class team,\u201d Rajagopalan says. \u201cBut the benefits are velocity, performance, and cost. This means we\u2019re able to get to market sooner with a cutting-edge AI<\/a> product and we can optimize our silicon for our use cases with room for models of the future. We don\u2019t carry the overhead with a design that was designated for another purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, designing the chip allows Rivian to customize the system along the way instead of receiving a universal chip and figure out how to make it fit. Customizing its use of AI is a major tenet of the company\u2019s game plan, underpinning its software, autonomy research and mapping, and Rivian Assistant, its new voice command setup. Wake it up with \u201cHey Rivian\u201d and the system can handle complicated, multi-part requests, interruptions, and a texting interface that circumvents the need for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.<\/p>\n Another aspect of the equation is Rivian\u2019s new middleware stack, also developed in-house. Middleware is the glue that ties the pieces together, acting as a bridge to connect different applications, databases, and services. It maximizes flexibility and speeds up testing and development, scaling across various platforms and computing hardware.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rivian forges ahead with a plan for ubiquitous artificial intelligence\u00a0<\/p>\n Rivian also unveiled its next-generation autonomy platform, which will be run by its new chips. The proprietary, purpose-built silicon was designed to \u201cachieve dramatic progress in self-driving,\u201d Scaringe says, as part of his road map to reshape the future of the industry with artificial intelligence<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAI is enabling us to create technology and customer experiences at a rate that is completely different from what we\u2019ve seen in the past,\u201d Scaringe says. \u201cIf we look three or four years into the future, the rate of change is an order of magnitude greater than all the experience from the last three or four years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n As the market debates a potential \u201cAI bubble\u201d that could crash like the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s, technologists, politicians, and ecological specialists have expressed their concerns. AI, for all of its potential, also represents threats to the environment due to its vast energy requirements and job loss.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe integration and adoption of AI in real-world settings can be complex and create unwanted outcomes as we pave our way forward,\u201d says Ali Shojaei, a professor at Virginia Tech. \u201cFor example, the environmental impact and energy consumption of AI cannot be overlooked. Data privacy and security are also valid concerns with the increased use of AI and automation of sensitive information.\u201d<\/p>\n Scaringe insists we\u2019re in the middle of a technology inflection point.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe way that we approach AI in the physical world has shifted dramatically, and the idea of not having fully capable artificial intelligence across every domain of our lives will be almost impossible to even imagine,\u201d the CEO predicted in a video released this week<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Up until about five years ago, Scaringe says approach was centered on a rules-based environment with a set of perception sensors to identify and classify objects. A few years ago, it became clear that the approach needed to shift to a neural net-like understanding of how to drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n All this will come to fruition on the upcoming R2 model with Rivian Autonomy Processor 1 chips and a new LiDAR sensor, combined with cameras and radar technology. Waymo\u2019s driverless rideshare vehicles, for example, use LiDAR sensors all around the vehicle, sending laser pulses in all directions to detect objects. Rivian\u2019s main lidar sensor is built into the car above the windshield instead of the Waymo-style dome that screams \u201ctaxi.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Scaringe\u2019s updated vision for self-driving Rivians kicks off in 2026, when the automaker will roll out point-to-point navigation in the R2 and via over-the-air updates for its second generation vehicles. Rivian is clearly aiming for self driving that doesn\u2019t require the driver to keep their eyes on the road without the need to be engaged in the operation of the vehicle. And after that, the CEO says, is level 4 autonomy, which means the car could drop the kids off at swim practice for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20221228_NATHAN-HELEINE_NORMAL-PLANT-54_qajy7g.jpg\")
From its headquarters in the middle of silicon valley, Rivian is preparing for an AI- and autonomous-driving-heavy future.\u00a0Image: Rivian <\/p>\n
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