Nvidia, MediaTek team up for advanced car infotainment technology

Jensen Huang, Nvidia's CEO, speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei.

Nvidia, MediaTek, partner on connected car technology, Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei.

Nvidia Corp and MediaTek Inc on Monday said they will collaborate on technology to power advanced car infotainment systems that can stream video or games or interact with drivers using artificial intelligence.

MediaTek will use a chiplet and Nvidia software to connect the system-on-chips it sells to automakers for infotainment displays.

MediaTek systems using Nvidia software would be compatible with automated driving systems based on Nvidia technology, the companies said. The dashboard displays could show the surroundings around the vehicle, while cameras would monitor the driver.

As carmakers add features like gaming, artificial intelligence for voice-activated features, driver monitoring systems, and displays related to automated driving, it's becoming more complicated in vehicle displays and entertainment systems.

Qualcomm, MediaTek's top rival in the smartphone industry, has been courting automakers. Qualcomm and SalesForce announced a collaboration earlier this year to develop a new connected vehicle platform.

The deal with MediaTek gives Nvidia greater access to the $12 billion market for infotainment system-on-chips.

Nvidia has been a proponent of high-end car brands like Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. MediaTek, which is based in the Android smartphone chip industry, sells its Dimensity Auto technology to lower-priced, mass-market vehicle lines, and has strengths in mobile connectivity and Android systems.

There are a lot of segments they are addressing that Nvidia has not addressed, said Danny Shapiro, the vice president of automotive at Nvidia.

The companies did not identify future automotive customers.