Seoul [South Korea], December 31 : Samsung Electronics is now providing automotive semiconductors for the new BMW AG's next-generation electric vehicle (EV), the iX3. The move helps the South Korean company grow its business by expanding its chip business beyond memory into logic design and foundry-related services.
As per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business News Korea, the new BMW iX3 is a medium-sized electric SUV. It is the first car made in large numbers to use BMW's new electric system called Neue Klasse. This vehicle was first shown to the public in Germany and will start selling in South Korea during the second half of next year.
Samsung created a specific chip for this car called the Exynos Auto V720. These types of chips manage the entertainment and information systems inside a car. They help the car show driving details, play high-quality videos, and run video games on the car's screens. Samsung previously gave similar chips to other car companies like Audi and Volkswagen.
After the iX3, Samsung wants to put its chips in many more BMW cars. Future models like the 7 Series may use an even more powerful chip called the Exynos Auto V920. This flagship chip uses 10 small processing units to work faster while using less power. When BMW unveiled the iX3, the company said the car has four high-performance computers that are 20 times faster than older versions.
"Industry reviews have also highlighted the vehicle's in-vehicle infotainment capabilities, particularly its audio and video processing performance. Analysts say the Exynos Auto-based computing architecture plays a key role in delivering stable performance for autonomous driving features and infotainment systems," the report said.
Samsung Chairman Jay Y. Lee worked closely with partners as a contributing factor. He recently visited other big electric car makers like BYD and Xiaomi and met with the leader of Mercedes-Benz. Samsung sees future cars as a very important part of its business.
Different parts of the company work together to make batteries, screens, and audio systems for cars. Recently, Samsung's company Harman even bought a German business that helps cars drive more safely.
"This BMW supply deal is significant in that Samsung has expanded its portfolio with a German automaker, a segment with very high barriers to entry," the report quoted an industry official.
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