Continental, a global automotive technology leader, and Korean semiconductor company Telechips have announced a collaboration to propel automotive innovation to new heights. The collaboration introduces Telechips’ Dolphin System on Chip (SoC) family into Continental’s Smart Cockpit High-Performance Computers (HPCs), setting a new standard for performance, cost optimization, and reduced development time. Telechips becomes the supplier of its Dolphin SoC family to Continental, marking a significant advancement in the automotive semiconductor landscape. The Dolphin SoC is meticulously adapted to Continental’s Smart Cockpit HPCs’ pre-integrated function set, delivering optimal system performance for crucial aspects such as cluster functionality, infotainment, and the visualization of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The collaboration not only enhances performance but also strikes a balance between costs and development time, creating a ‘sweet spot’ that addresses key industry challenges. The Smart Cockpit HPC, designed for typical cockpit configurations featuring driver and central displays, along with assistance systems equipped with up to five cameras, is poised to redefine user experiences in the automotive sector.
Jean-François Tarabbia, Head of the Architecture and Networking business area at Continental, highlights the transformative impact on development efforts: “Collaborating with Telechips, we are enormously reducing development effort and costs for automotive manufacturers. Thus, we will be able to serve our customers from order intake to series production in 18 months.” The newly introduced Smart Cockpit HPC solution seamlessly integrates the powerful processors of Telechips’ Dolphin family with pre-integrated functions, unlocking a superior user experience that extends beyond the premium automotive segment. This combination of advanced hardware and integrated functionality is poised to set new benchmarks in automotive technology.
JK Lee, the CEO of Telechips, expresses gratitude for the collaboration with Continental, a global leader in automotive technology, “We are grateful to have established a collaboration with Continental, a global leader in automotive technology. Telechips, now adopted as the standard for Continental’s Smart Cockpit HPC solution, has recently met key international standards such as ISO26262, TISAX, and ASPICE. This demonstrates full readiness for a leap as a comprehensive global semiconductor solution company. Through this partnership with Continental, Telechips will actively pursue collaboration beyond the ‘Smart Cockpit’, contributing to the evolution of ‘E/E Architecture’ and shaping the future of mobility.”
Continental’s integration of Telechips’ SoC into the Smart Cockpit HPC is not just a technological advancement; it’s also a strategic move in the broader context of the road to cloud strategy. The newly added SoC becomes a crucial building block in the ecosystem that facilitates seamless connectivity from the road to the cloud. Telechips’ processors, embedded in Continental’s HPC, enable a spectrum of Smart Cockpit functions across up to three displays. This includes groundbreaking features like “Surround View,” a scalable 360-degree-view solution based on four cameras. It allows drivers to monitor the entire area around the vehicle, offering various perspectives for different scenarios—from parking and low-speed maneuvers to pedestrian and vehicle detection in city traffic.
The collaborative innovation between Continental and Telechips is set to take center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 9-12, 2024, in Las Vegas. The event will feature product demonstrations of various Smart Cockpit solutions, showcasing the seamless integration of advanced hardware, intelligent software, and groundbreaking user experiences. Continental’s efforts to delive an one-of-a-kind user experience is further emphasized through its partnership with Google Cloud. The integration of an innovative dialog system into the Smart Cockpit High-Performance Computer, featuring generative AI, sets Continental apart as one of the world’s first automotive suppliers to embark on this groundbreaking journey. This dialog system compiles information to answer drivers’ questions, providing real-time insights about tire pressure or notable sights along the route.
Continental’s pioneering approach to HPC-based vehicle architecture is evident in its collaboration with Volkswagen. The companies successfully transferred the first central HPC for the entire vehicle networking of the ID. electric models into series production. By the end of 2024, 30 vehicle models from various manufacturers will enter production with Continental’s HPC, underlining the company’s pivotal role in shaping the future of automotive technology.