Can Intel and Waymo become a self-driving car dream team?

By Stephen Edelstein Published December 19, 2019

Intel and Waymo — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The world of self-driving cars is becoming increasingly defined by partnerships, something that isn’t particularly common in other areas of the auto or tech industries.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich revealed that his company supplies processors and other hardware to Waymo, and that Intel would like to continue working with the former Google self-driving car project. The Intel components are used in Waymo’s Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans, which recently replaced a fleet of small pod-like electric cars as Waymo’s frontline test vehicles.

Recommended Videos

The relationship between Intel and Waymo might be among the most conventional of the current self-driving car partnerships. Automakers already buy hardware from outside suppliers, and this is similar to that. If autonomous cars really do become mainstream, suppliers of processors could be just as important as suppliers of transmissions or battery cells.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Intel hopes to keep working with Waymo. In a press release CEO Krzanich said the company is capable of supplying processing power for Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles. On the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) autonomous-driving scale, Level 4 denotes a car that is fully autonomous in most situations, but may require human assistance at times. Level 5 cars are all-autonomous all of the time, completely ditching steering wheels and pedals.

Both Intel and Waymo already have their share of autonomous-driving partners. Intel bought Israeli tech firm Mobileye to gain access to the company’s cameras and image-recognition software, and it drafted Delphi, BMW, and FCA into an ongoing self-driving car development effort.

Waymo established a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to get its fleet of minivans. It also has a relationship with Lyft, one that could be mutually beneficial. Lyft is very eager to use self-driving cars in ridesharing applications, and its global service could give Waymo a commercial outlet for its tech.

While some companies, including Ford and Tesla, seem to be going it alone, webs of partnerships like the ones being spun by Intel and Waymo are becoming more common in this space. Intel probably wants to get its chips into as many self-driving cars as possible, capitalizing on what could be a big market.

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Waymo’s Hyundai robotaxi deal may steal the show from Tesla

A Hyundai Ioniq 5 is equipped as a robotaxi.

Just days ahead of Tesla’s much anticipated robotaxi event on Thursday, Hyundai unveiled a partnership with Waymo that will add Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 to the fleet of the robotaxi operator.In the first phase of the partnership, Waymo will integrate its sixth-generation fully autonomous technology, called the Waymo Driver, into the all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV, which will be added to the Waymo One fleet over time.On-road testing with Waymo-enabled Ioniq 5s is due to start in late 2025 and become available to riders of the Waymo One robotaxi service the following year.Alphabet-owned Waymo currently operates the only functioning robotaxi service in the U.S., with a fleet of about 700 self-driving vehicles already on the road in Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The service is also being tested in Austin, Texas.Last year, General Motors’ competing robotaxi service Cruise had to stop operations after one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian in San Francisco. Cruise’s GM vehicles are nonetheless expected to resume operations next year through a partnership with Uber.Driverless vehicles have stumbled on two main obstacles on the road to commercialization: The complexity of the technology and tight safety regulations.For now, Waymo’s existing footprint gives it a marked advantage over its competitors. Its sixth-generation technology is said to handle a wider array of weather conditions with fewer on-board cameras and sensors. In their joint statement, Waymo and Hyundai emphasized the proven safety of both the Waymo technology and the Ioniq 5. Waymo’s technology relies on pre-mapped roads, sensors, cameras, radar and lidar (a laser-light radar). It's an approach that might be very costly but has met the approval of safety regulators. All this adds pressure on Tesla to deliver the goods with the launch of its robotaxi -- expected to be called the Cybercab.Tesla’s ambition has been to eventually provide full driverless capacity directly to consumers. Tesla owners can already buy software called Full Self-Driving (FSD) that operates like an advanced driver assistance system and requires constant driver supervision.Tesla’s FSD relies on multiple onboard cameras to feed machine-learning models that, in turn, help the car make decisions based on what it sees.The technology, however, has not yet convinced all current and former traffic safety officials.

Cars

Tesla Autopilot vs. full self-driving: What’s the difference?

A Telsa Model 3 drives along a road.

It's no longer the only company with self-driving cars on the road, but Tesla was one of the first brands to make this innovative functionality available to the public. Thanks to an array of cameras, sensors, and AI technology, most Telsa vehicles are capable of driving themselves to some degree. However, this doesn't mean drivers can take a nap behind the wheel. In fact, none can be used without driver supervision -- and there are some serious limitations to the tech.

Tesla currently offers features known as Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. But what's the difference between the two? And is one more reliable than the other? Here's everything you need to know about Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technology.
Tesla Autopilot

Cars

Waymo robotaxi attacked and set on fire in San Francisco

Waymo Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV

A Waymo self-driving car was set upon by vandals in San Francisco on Saturday evening.

According to footage and eyewitness reports of the incident, the attackers graffitied the car before smashing its windows and throwing fireworks inside. The vehicle then caught fire and burned before fire crews arrived to extinguish the blaze.