Rebirth 99 to become a car giant

While Venustech is working hard to refresh everyone's cognition, Nanshan Semiconductor has not been idle.

The smart cockpit chip and autonomous driving chip that used the 14-nanometer process chip technology have been released and have become the highest computing power in the industry.

Now Nanshan Semiconductor's 7-nanometer process technology has been developed, and four factories are under intensive construction.

In this case, Nanshan Automobile Group is naturally eager to cooperate with Nanshan Semiconductor to launch a new generation of high-computing chips.

With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, various functions related to assisted driving and smart cockpits have become important contents that distinguish new energy vehicles from traditional fuel vehicles.

In particular, the addition of new car-making forces, they continue to use some Internet thinking to promote various marketing of new energy vehicle projects, making the competition in the industry more intense.

You use a Nanshan Semiconductor NS8155, and the computing power is only 8TOPS.

Then I will use two NS8155s, and the computing power is twice as much as yours.

Soon, a new product announced that it would be equipped with 4 NS8155 chips, and the computing power soared to 32TOPS.

Although compared with the computing power of electric vehicles ten years later, 32TOPS is not particularly excellent.

But in 2015, it was definitely the world's number one.

Even the S9 of Future Car currently only has 2 NS8155 chips, and the computing power is only 16TOPS.

In this case, it is definitely necessary to upgrade as soon as possible.

"Mr. Cao, our new generation of NS9155 chips has been successfully developed. At the end of this year, it will be put into mass production with the commissioning of the new Nanshan Semiconductor factory."

"Compared with NS8155, the computing power of this chip has soared from 8TOPS to 64TOPS, which completely exceeds the computing power level of the current mass production and new products announced by other manufacturers."

"And with the increase in computing power, our energy consumption has not only not increased, but has dropped by more than half, which can reduce the power consumption of electric vehicles by one level."

"Under the same circumstances, the range of electric vehicles using these chips can be increased by at least 3%, which can completely offset the increase in chip sales prices."

"After all, to improve the range, the past practice is to increase the capacity of the battery, but this will lead to a significant increase in the cost of the battery."

Zhang Jing reported the latest achievements of Nanshan Semiconductor to Cao Yang in person with a radiant face.

Nanshan Semiconductor's foundation is getting deeper and deeper now.

Not only is it ahead of its competitors in production capacity, but it has also completely surpassed them in technology.

This has an extraordinary impact on Nanshan Semiconductor and the entire China.

As an academician, Zhang Jing's voice in the semiconductor industry has also increased significantly in the past two years.

He has participated in various chip-related industry standards in recent years.

Even if he voted against it, the relevant standards would not be released.

He was invited to do some chip knowledge introductions to senior executives in relevant departments several times.

"If NS9155 doesn't come out, Zeng Tingting will probably be anxious with you."

"When the S9 was released in the future, it said that its computing power was the world's first, but it was surpassed by other people's new cars a year later."

"But now with NS9155, the situation is completely different."

Cao Yang laughed and joked.

As a leading company in the domestic automobile industry, Nanshan Automobile Group certainly hopes to be ahead of the industry in computing power.

The publicity effect of this industry benchmark is actually very huge and difficult to measure with simple data.

Just like several models of Tesla in later generations, any manufacturer of electric vehicles will definitely compare and explain Tesla's products before developing their own products.

They have to prove that their equipment and performance in all aspects are not worse than others.

Invisibly, this is also a very good advertisement for Tesla.

Future Car's current position in the automotive and electric vehicle industry is a bit like Tesla's position in the industry in the past.

No wonder Zeng Tingting is very anxious.

"When we designed NS9155, we fully considered the compatibility with NS8155."

"In extreme cases, you only need to remove the NS8155 chip, replace it directly with NS9155, and then flash the software to complete the upgrade."

"This should be very attractive to some manufacturers."

"Even this can be given to some 4S stores in the after-sales market for optional parts upgrades."

Zhang Jing further introduced the advanced nature of the NS9155 chip.

For car manufacturers, it will take several years for a car to be upgraded after it is produced.

Otherwise, if the upgrade is not recovered before all costs are recovered, the cost will be too high.

For example, the body structure will not be changed easily, because behind each change, the corresponding parts need to be re-molded.

A few million, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of dollars are invested.

If the sales are good, it doesn't matter. If the sales are not ideal, it will be difficult to make money.

"Compatibility is really important. All future models will gradually have OTA upgrade functions."

"If the hardware cannot cooperate with OTA, the effect of pure software upgrade will be much worse."

"In the future, all kinds of automotive-grade chips we develop should be compatible with the previous generation of chips."

Cao Yang is still very satisfied with the NS9155 that Nanshan has moved to the top.

The computing power of 64TOPS is definitely the best in the world.

For most models, only one chip is needed to meet the computing power requirements of the whole vehicle.

If two chips are installed, there are many tasks that can be completed.

Even if someone can come up with the L3 level autonomous driving function in advance, it can basically meet the requirements.

Of course, Nanshan Semiconductor will definitely make further efforts in the future.

When the computing power of a chip directly reaches hundreds of TOPS, or even thousands of TOPS, the meaning will be even more different.

"Well, that's what I think."

"This time, I plan to hold a product recommendation meeting for the excellent performance of NS9155 and invite various car companies to participate."

"Let everyone know the goodness of our NS9155 and stimulate competition among them."

The sales price of an NS9155 is more than 1,000 yuan.

If there are no various incentives for such a high-priced product, only a small number of car companies will be willing to actively use it.

But if everyone compares with each other and promotes chip computing power as a core competitiveness of automobiles, the situation will be completely different.

"No problem, good things should be known to more people."

Cao Yang, who has always attached great importance to publicity work, will definitely not oppose Zhang Jing's proposal.

However, as soon as the invitation letter for the NS9155 product recommendation meeting was released, various car companies were still sighing, but international chip giants were anxious.

"Pat, Nanshan Semiconductor has made another major breakthrough in smart cockpit chips."

"It is said that the computing power has reached 64TOPS, but our smart cockpit chips have not yet entered mass production."

"If this continues, it will be difficult for us to transform and enter the strategy of smart cockpit chips and autonomous driving chips."

After seeing the relevant reports of the Nanshan Semiconductor Technology Exhibition, Otellini immediately called Pat, the technical director, over.

Although Intel is still the global leader in the computer CPU field and its position in the American chip industry is still relatively high.

But this advantage is disappearing rapidly, and the company's prospects are beginning to become less clear.

For high-tech companies, it is very important to have a story to tell in the future, and it is also an important means to maintain a relatively high stock price.

Combined with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, entering new products such as smart cockpit chips that are closely related to new energy vehicles is a strategic adjustment that Otellini made for Intel.

However, the threshold in this regard seems to be higher than he imagined.

"Otellini, you know that we have been focusing on computer chips before. Even for mobile phone chips, we are not the most advanced in the industry, not to mention automotive-grade chips that we have not touched before."

"A few years ago, automotive-grade chips were often synonymous with backward technology in the semiconductor industry, and various new technologies would definitely not be used in automotive-grade chips."

"Even the chips used in some home appliances are better than those used in cars."

"But with the increasing requirements for computing power of automotive-grade chips, the chip process used is also constantly changing, and it has gradually approached the chip technology used in consumer electronics."

"But for us, related chip development needs to start from scratch."

"We will have to wait until the second half of this year to bring the first generation of smart cockpit chips to the market at the earliest."

Pat's words made Otellini very dissatisfied.

Others' second-generation professional chips have already come out, but Intel has not even released the first generation of products.

The most important thing is that according to the information Otellini learned before, even if Intel's own smart cockpit chips are mass-produced this year, the computing power is only 4TOPS.

This is still twice the gap compared with Nanshan Semiconductor's NS8155, not to mention the latest NS9155.

Thinking of this, Otellini couldn't help but get a little angry.

"Our new 14nm process technology factory has also been put into production, and the 7nm process technology will soon make a breakthrough."

"Under this situation, our automotive-grade chips should not be the current results."

After hearing what Otellini said, Pat added, "Our automotive-grade chip development is relatively slow. In addition to its own reasons, it is also related to the unwillingness of various OEMs to actively cooperate with us in development."

"Even General Motors and Ford are more willing to cooperate with Texas Instruments, ON Semiconductor and NVIDIA, because they have more experience in related fields than us."

"Without the cooperation and use arrangements of the OEMs, even if our chips are developed, they will be in a more embarrassing situation."

Pat directly said the embarrassing situation Intel faces in the field of automotive-grade chips.

In fact, this is the difficulty that all semiconductor companies need to face if they want to enter the automotive-grade chip market.

Although most automotive-grade chips do not have very high requirements for process technology, they have very high requirements for chip stability.

After all, once an accident occurs with the chips used in cars, it often causes loss of life.

Even if there is a problem with the chip on the mobile phone, it is nothing more than restarting it. Even the worst result is that the mobile phone is broken and you can get free repairs.

But if the chip on the car suddenly breaks down, the car may be out of control.

Therefore, every automobile company and parts company is more cautious in choosing chips.

Generally speaking, various car companies are also reluctant to try something new.

Of course, now due to changes in the competitive environment, the situation is naturally changing slowly.

"I have discussed this issue with Exxon of GM before. He said that Intel has to develop the chip first, and then GM's R\u0026D personnel will know whether it can be used after doing some related tests."

"But you said that no car manufacturers choose to use our chips, so the development speed is not very ideal."

"This is nothing more than a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg. It is meaningless to get entangled."

"You should bring out the product as soon as possible, and benchmark Nanshan Semiconductor's NS9155, and develop a new generation of products that are not inferior to them."

Otellini didn't want to listen to so many complaints.

He just wanted to know the result.

Once Intel developed the world's most advanced automotive-grade chip, he thought that there would definitely be manufacturers who would take the initiative to use it.

In this regard, even if Pat wanted to refute it, he didn't know how to refute it.

After all, their performance in this regard is indeed a bit lame.

...

Just when Intel received the news that Nanshan Semiconductor had developed a new generation of smart cockpit chips, Nvidia, a special opponent, was already discussing this matter.

"Mr. Huang, the smart cockpit chip we just launched last year has reached the same level of performance as NS8155. Some models of Cadillac and Lincoln have been confirmed to use it, and it will officially start to be sold in the second half of this year."

"But now Nanshan Semiconductor has directly launched NS9155, which is still very challenging for us."

"At present, to achieve 64TOPS computing power, it is basically determined to use 7-nanometer chip technology."

"And the four 7-nanometer chip factories currently under construction in the world are all from Nanshan Semiconductor."

"Samsung, TSMC and Intel's 7-nanometer process technology are still under development, and the earliest it can be completed will be this year."

"In this way, by the time their chip factories can manufacture 7-nanometer process chips, it will be at least the end of next year, or even the year after next."

As the person in charge of Nvidia's automotive-grade chips, Yang Fan naturally had to explain the situation to Huang Jiansheng at this time.

Especially this time, it involves the existence of Nanshan Semiconductor, a relatively special opponent, so he paid more attention to it.

"I have felt Nanshan Semiconductor's unique advantages in technological innovation before, but I didn't expect that they would completely subvert the industry so quickly."

"This kind of automotive-grade chip with a computing power of 64TOPS, I guess people didn't even think that such a chip would be needed in cars before."

"We are fast in the transformation and development of automotive-grade chips, but the gap with Nanshan Semiconductor in this field is not small."

Huang Jiansheng sighed and felt a little regretful.

Automotive-grade chips are too special.

You need technology, experience, and customers.

If any leg is missing, there will be bumps in development.

Like Nanshan Semiconductor, they have their own unique advantages.

On the one hand, Nanshan Semiconductor's chips are supplied to Honor Technology in large quantities. Whether it is chips used in mobile phones or computers, they have the highest requirements in the industry in terms of process technology.

This also gives Nanshan Semiconductor the motivation and pressure to constantly pursue the latest technology.

On the other hand, Nanshan Automobile Group, as the largest automobile company in China, consumes a large number of automotive-grade chips every year.

More than 80% of these chips are produced by Nanshan Semiconductor.

With such a huge chip production scale, Nanshan Semiconductor must have accumulated a lot of experience in automotive-grade chips.

The combination of the two experiences has led to Nanshan Semiconductor's unique advantages in developing automotive-grade chips comparable to those used in consumer electronics.

"The market for smart cockpit chips is huge. Although Nanshan Semiconductor now occupies an advantageous position, it is impossible for them to take up all the market."

"Especially in the United States, the relevant departments do not allow various car companies to use Nanshan Semiconductor's chips."

"Similarly, Japan and Korea will most likely not use Nanshan Semiconductor's chips."

"Europe will not use them on a large scale either, so there is still a lot of room for us to play."

At this time, Yang Fan must draw a beautiful blueprint for the project he is responsible for.

Otherwise, if the boss has no confidence in the future, how can things be done?

The project may be cancelled directly.

In European and American companies, when a project is directly cancelled, the people involved in the project are often fired.

Yang Fan is still optimistic about Nvidia's future and doesn't want to be fired by the company.

"You are right, but the gap between our automotive-grade chip technology and Nanshan Semiconductor is objective."

"If we want to completely seize the market, we must make our technology level close to Nanshan Semiconductor."

"Their 64TOPS computing power chip has come out, and we must research it as soon as possible."

"Even if there is no way to mass-produce it in the short term, at least we have to show that we have completed the research and development."

"In this way, there will be more content to talk about when promoting it."

After Huang Jiansheng said this, Yang Fan couldn't help but nodded.

At least for early technical research and development, the difficulty is much smaller.

Anyway, it is just a product in the laboratory state, and it can be produced this year if it is fast.

...

The NS9155 briefing of Nanshan Semiconductor was very successful.

Although traditional car companies are not particularly enthusiastic, they think that the current chips are basically enough.

However, the enthusiasm of various new car-making forces is completely different.

For example, Qiantu Motors has arranged personnel to come to Nanshan Semiconductor to negotiate the supply of NS9155.

"Mr. Zhang, as long as Nanshan Semiconductor delivers the first mass-produced NS9155 to Qiantu Motors, we can accept the sales price and related conditions proposed by your company."

As the general manager of Qiantu Motors, Lv Bing came to discuss NS9155 with Zhang Jing in person.

As a talent from the Internet, he knows the significance of NS9155 to Qiantu Motors.

Although Qiantu Motors has developed relatively well among the new forces in car manufacturing.

But compared with Future Motors, there is still a big gap.

Lv Bing really hopes to have some more eye-catching topics, preferably content related to technological advancement.

"Mr. Lu, I believe you also know that Future Auto is our sister company. In the past, all our new products were first delivered to Future Auto for use, and then sold to other customers."

"The advancedness of NS9155 this time is beyond doubt. In this case, if I want to reject the request from Future Auto, I must have a more sufficient reason."

For Zhang Jing, the conditions of Future Auto are not completely unsatisfactory.

After all, the first chip is given to Future Auto, and they can certainly make good use of this in publicity.

But in the end, it will not bring much impact to the installation of NS9155 in Future Auto.

Even if Future Auto spends a lot of effort to promote NS9155, Future Auto can save a lot of trouble at that time.

"All our models will be equipped with NS9155, and the models that have been sold will also upgrade their smart cockpit chips."

"In this way, the purchase quantity alone next year is expected to exceed 200,000."

Lv Bing knows that simply talking about price is still a little unconvincing.

After all, if the purchase quantity is very low, even if the price is very high, it will not be so meaningful for Nanshan Semiconductor.

So he started to talk about the purchase quantity.

After all, the more the quantity, the more motivated Nanshan Semiconductor will be.

"Then I can promise that in the next five years, all smart cockpits and autonomous driving chips of Qiantu Motors will be purchased from Nanshan Semiconductor."

Lu Bing's condition is very sincere.

Zhang Jing can naturally understand this.

"Mr. Lu, happy cooperation!"

It is meaningless to argue about details between big men. As long as the general direction can be agreed, the details will be left to the people below to discuss.

So Zhang Jing and Lu Bing quickly ended the negotiation.

The next step is for both parties to go to the laboratory of Nanshan Semiconductor together to talk about some more abstract things.

Of course, after the negotiation, Zhang Jing also quickly shared the relevant information with Zeng Tingting.

Letting Future Motors know some things in advance can also avoid being caught off guard in the future.

Zeng Tingting must have some opinions on Nanshan Semiconductor's sale of the first batch of NS9155 chips to Qiantu Motors.

However, each company will think about the problem from the perspective of maximizing its own interests, so she can't blame anything.

Fortunately, the chip upgrade work of various models of Future Auto can be quickly carried out after the mass production of NS9155, and the actual speed will not be slower than Qiantu Auto.

At most, in terms of publicity, Future Auto cannot compete with Qiantu Auto for the title of being the first to be equipped with NS9155 advanced cockpit chip.