Top 7 China Autonomous Driving Chip Companies 2025
China's automotive chip market exceeded RMB 100 billion in 2025, with autonomous driving and ADAS chips being the fastest-growing segment. As Chinese automakers accelerate L2+ and L3 autonomous driving deployment, demand for high-compute automotive SoCs has surged. Chinese chip designers are increasingly replacing foreign suppliers (NVIDIA, Mobileye, Qualcomm) with domestic alternatives, achieving 200+ TOPS compute in single-chip solutions.
TL;DR: China's auto chip market exceeds RMB 100B. Horizon Robotics leads with Journey 6 achieving 560 TOPS while Black Sesame Technologies provides 1000+ TOPS multi-chip solutions for L3 autonomous driving.
Top Companies
Horizon Robotics (地平线)
560 TOPS single-chip leaderHorizon Robotics is China's leading automotive AI chip company, with its Journey 6 processor achieving 560 TOPS of INT8 compute on a single chip. It supplies ADAS and autonomous driving solutions to Changan, BYD, Geely, and Li Auto, with 5M+ vehicles equipped with Horizon chips on the road.
Black Sesame Technologies (黑芝麻智能)
1000+ TOPS L3 platformBlack Sesame develops high-performance autonomous driving computing platforms, with its华山 A1000 Pro chip delivering 196 TOPS and multi-chip solutions achieving 1000+ TOPS for L3 autonomous driving. It is adopted by FAW, Dongfeng, and multiple Chinese automakers for premium vehicle models.
HiSilicon Automotive (海思汽车)
MDC intelligent driving platformHuawei's HiSilicon provides automotive-grade chips through its MDC (Mobile Data Center) platform, including the MDC 810 (400 TOPS) and MDC 610 (200 TOPS). Its automotive chips power ADS (Advanced Driving System) solutions in Seres/AITO, BAIC Arcfox, and Changan vehicles.
SemiDrive (芯驰科技)
Vehicle control chip leaderSemiDrive develops automotive SoCs covering intelligent driving, cockpit, and vehicle control. Its V9 series ADAS chips and G9 gateway chips are designed-in by 20+ Chinese automakers, with cumulative shipments exceeding 10M units across intelligent cockpit and vehicle control applications.
Cambricon Automotive (寒武纪行歌)
AI inference for vehiclesCambricon's automotive division develops AI inference processors specifically for autonomous driving. Its SD5 series automotive AI chips provide efficient neural network acceleration for L2+ to L3 autonomous driving, targeting both passenger and commercial vehicle applications.
TP-Link Automotive ( TP-Link)
Automotive connectivity chipsTP-Link has expanded into automotive-grade chips for vehicle connectivity, including 5G C-V2X communication modules and automotive Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips. Its products serve as the communication backbone for connected and autonomous vehicles, adopted by multiple Chinese EV makers.
Neusoft Reach (东软睿驰)
Integrated ADAS solutionNeusoft Reach provides integrated automotive software and chip solutions for ADAS, including its automotive operating system and optimized algorithms running on Horizon and domestic automotive chips. It serves 15+ automakers with end-to-end intelligent driving solutions from L1 to L3.
Comparison Table
| Company | Key Chip | Compute (TOPS) | Automation Level | Automaker Partners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Robotics | Journey 6 | 560 TOPS | L2+ to L3 | BYD, Li Auto, Geely |
| Black Sesame | Huashan A1000 Pro | 196 TOPS (single) | L2+ to L3 | FAW, Dongfeng |
| HiSilicon Auto | MDC 810 | 400 TOPS | L2+ to L3 | Seres, BAIC, Changan |
| SemiDrive | V9 ADAS | Industry standard | L1 to L2+ | 20+ OEMs |
| Cambricon Auto | SD5 series | Varies by model | L2+ to L3 | Multiple OEMs |
| TP-Link Auto | 5G C-V2X module | N/A (comm) | Connectivity | EV makers |
| Neusoft Reach | Software + integration | Partner chips | L1 to L3 | 15+ OEMs |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does China's autonomous driving chip compare to NVIDIA?
China's leading chips (Horizon Journey 6 at 560 TOPS) approach NVIDIA Orin's performance (254 TOPS at 32-bit float) in INT8 workloads. However, NVIDIA's software ecosystem (CUDA, TensorRT, DriveOS) remains significantly more mature. Chinese chips offer 50-70% cost advantage and supply chain security.
What is the market share of domestic vs foreign auto chips in China?
In ADAS/autonomous driving chips, domestic suppliers captured 25%+ of China's market in 2024, up from 10% in 2022. NVIDIA and Mobileye still lead premium segments, but Chinese chips dominate mid-range L2+ and are rapidly entering L3 territory. By 2027, domestic chips are projected to reach 40%+ market share.
Which Chinese EV makers use domestic driving chips?
BYD, Li Auto, Xpeng, NIO, Changan, Geely, Seres/AITO, and Dongfeng all use domestic autonomous driving chips. BYD has the most aggressive domestic chip strategy, using Horizon chips across multiple vehicle lines. Xpeng uses both NVIDIA and domestic chips for different model tiers.
What compute power is needed for each automation level?
L2 ADAS typically needs 10-30 TOPS, L2+ requires 50-100 TOPS, L3 highway autonomy needs 200-500 TOPS, and L3 urban/L4 requires 500-1000+ TOPS. Chinese chips now cover L2 through L3, with L4 solutions still relying heavily on NVIDIA Orin/Xavier platforms.
How is the software ecosystem for Chinese auto chips?
Horizon Robotics has the most mature software stack with its TogetherOS operating system and BPU toolchain. Black Sesame supports multiple frameworks. The ecosystem is improving rapidly with government-backed efforts to create standardized automotive AI software platforms compatible with domestic chips.