Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng is aggressively advancing its autonomous driving capabilities with the development of its own artificial intelligence (AI) chip, dubbed the Turing chip. The CEO, He Xiaopeng, revealed that the chip is intended to power the company's semi-autonomous vehicles, with mass production models expected to incorporate it as early as this quarter. The Turing chip is purported to surpass the computing power of Nvidia’s Drive Orin X, a prominent chip currently used in many advanced driver-assistance systems.

According to He Xiaopeng, the Turing chip will be integrated into all of Xpeng's production models, underscoring the company's commitment to cutting-edge technology. Beyond EVs, the chip is also envisioned to power other innovative products from Xpeng's affiliated companies, including flying cars and robots.

“Our chips will be seen in our cars all over the world in the future,” He Xiaopeng stated, highlighting Xpeng's global ambitions. The company is also actively working towards regulatory approval to deploy its autonomous driving systems in international markets, including Hong Kong, with hopes of launching them on city streets sometime next year.

The announcement was made in anticipation of Xpeng’s Global Brand Night event in Hong Kong, where the company showcased its latest advancements, including drones and its autonomous driving platform. While the specific EV model that will first feature the Turing chip remains undisclosed, the development underscores the increasing competition in the Chinese EV market, where intelligent features and autonomous driving capabilities are becoming key differentiators.

The Turing chip is designed to facilitate Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving, signifying a high level of automation where the vehicle can handle most driving situations without human intervention. Xpeng has stated that the chip's computing power is three times greater than that of Nvidia’s Drive Orin X, which is currently used in its smart vehicles. As the brain of Xpeng’s AI platform, known as Canghai, the Turing chip embodies the company's vision of creating full-stack, indigenous autonomous driving technology for mass-produced EVs in mainland China. Since its establishment in 2014, Xpeng has focused on developing in-house solutions, marking a strategic move towards greater technological independence and innovation within the competitive EV landscape.