Comparisons to Tesla vehicles' HW-series platforms are inevitable, especially given that recently, Elon Musk touted his auto business's acumen in the chip department. Given that Rivian is looking into a 2026 timeframe for RAP1, we can only compare via rumors of Tesla's upcoming HW5 . Even still, with the appropriate amount of salt, Tesla is reportedly gunning for 2,000 to 2,500 TOPS for HW5, though naturally, there's no support for LiDAR.
Rivian's latest move might seem odd given it's primarily an automotive outfit, and there's no shortage of discussions about its upcoming $45,000 Rivian R2 SUV. However, the company signed a $5.8 billion joint venture with the VW Group in 2024 for EV software and electrical architecture.
That branch of the business is seeing enormous growth and, unlike the automotive section, is actually turning a profit. It's perfectly possible that Rivian might sell its newfangled self-driving and assistant tech to other automakers as well.
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Bruno Ferreira Contributor Bruno Ferreira is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware. He has decades of experience with PC hardware and assorted sundries, alongside a career as a developer. He's obsessed with detail and has a tendency to ramble on the topics he loves. When not doing that, he's usually playing games, or at live music shows and festivals.
thisisaname Most folks would think of Rivian Many folks would think who are they! Reply
DS426 Rivian isn't scaled up enough as an automaker to be investing in in-house chip design like this IMO. It's cool and definitely has its advantages, but they should focus more on profitability rather than going big and hoping they won't go bankrupt before they cross from red into black ink. I get why they're doing it though: they aren't and don't want to be seen as another Tesla (seen as another independent leader and not a follower). Reply
Key considerations
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/rivian-unveils-its-own-in-house-rap1-ai-chip-and-acm3-self-driving-platform-automaker-one-ups-tesla-with-lidar-support#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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