Audi selects Tegra processor for infotainment, dashboard

LONDON – Nvidia Corp. has announced that car maker Audi AG has selected the Tegra 3 processor to be the application and graphics processor for its in-vehicle infotainment systems and digital instrument display, across the entire line of its vehicles worldwide, beginning in 2013.

Both the infotainment and the instrument-cluster systems will utilize so-called visual computing modules (VCMs), Nvidia (Santa Clara, Calif.) said. These are computer subsystems, each containing a Tegra 3 processor, memory and IO controllers, designed specifically for automotive applications and conditions.

Tegra 3, announced in 2011, includes a quad-core Cortex-A9 processor licensed from ARM Holdings plc (Cambridge, England) and a 12-core GeForce graphics processing unit (GPU) and dedicated audio, video and image processors. Although the Tegra 3 was expected to come out on a 28-nm CMOS manufacturing process it is believed to have been introduced on 40-nm CMOS.

"Last year, we introduced the first live Google Earth experience in a car. This year, we are shipping vehicles featuring the Tegra 2 mobile processor," said Ricky Hudi, chief executive engineer responsible for electrics and electronics at Audi, in a statement issued by Nvidia. "And next year, we will again break new ground with Tegra 3, delivering beautiful, rich visual experiences through the dashboard and the infotainment system."

Dan Vivoli, senior vice president at Nvidia, said: "By leveraging technology from the very latest smart phones and tablets, Audi is leading the market with innovations that enhance safety and make driving more enjoyable."


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