Rumour: Tesla to adopt TSMC's 3nm chip designs in 2024
EV maker Tesla will participate in TSMC’s 3nm NTO chip design in order to manufacture fully self-driving processors.
According to widespread but unconfirmed reports, Tesla is committed to supporting development of TSMC's advanced N3P process. When compared to its N3E predecessor, N3P is beloieved to deliver a 5% improvement in performance, a 10% reduction in power consumption and a 1.04x increase in chip density.
This is exactly the kind of performance that Tesla needs as it eyes the fully self-driving market. Like other car makers, Tesla is pursuing a vision of fully automated (Level-5) self-driving without human intervention. But the process has proved frustratingly difficult thanks to the demands it places on processors.
Tesla and TSMC do have an existing relationship, with Tesla previously placing orders for the Dojo D1 chip using the 7nm process and the HW 4.0 chip featuring the 5nm process. However, analysts claim this partnership will take the relationshiop to a new level and make Tesla TSMC’s seventh-largest customer.
In July, we reported that Tesla had enlisted Samsung to produce HW5 Autopilot chips using its 5 nm node. According to Korean media, the production was expected to start in 2026. At the time, Tesla had already signed a similar partnership with TSMC for the same purpose.
