Intel brings discrete GPU muscle to the vehicle cockpit

Scheduled for commercial deployment in vehicles by 2025, this product aims to enhance automotive AI, revolutionising automobile technology, and initiating a new era of AI-driven cockpit experiences and personalisation for both manufacturers and drivers.

Discrete power, scalable platform

Intel's venture into automotive discrete GPUs responds to the rising demand for computational power in increasingly sophisticated vehicle cockpits. By incorporating Intel Arc Graphics for Automotive into its existing AI-enhanced software-defined vehicle (SDV) system-on-chips (SoCs), Intel provides automakers with an open, flexible, and scalable platform solution, delivering high-fidelity experiences within vehicles.

Automakers can now design a unified vehicle platform that scales across different trim levels. Entry and mid-level models can utilise the Intel SDV SoC, while high-end vehicles can harness the additional power of the dGPU for premium features. This approach simplifies development, ensuring full software compatibility across both integrated and discrete GPUs.

Intel's vision: a human-centric automotive future

The AI Cockpit Innovation Experience highlighted a future where in-vehicle AI fosters intuitive and personalised interactions among the driver, passengers, and vehicle, enhancing the ride and optimising the drive.

"Intel’s strategy is to bring the power of AI into devices of every size and shape, and we’re thrilled to bring that expertise and our vast open AI ecosystem to the automotive industry,” said Jack Weast, Vice President and General Manager of Intel Automotive. “China's rapid electric vehicle development cycles and advanced technological adoption make it an ideal testing ground for our next-generation technologies.”

Key features of Intel's AI cockpit solution:

• Scalability: automakers can choose Intel SDV SoC and later add an Intel discrete GPU for managing larger compute workloads and expanding the AI features thanks to a unified instruction set that simplifies development
• Next generation in-vehicle experiences: Intel-powered voice, camera, and gesture recognition transform vehicles into immersive mobile hubs. Thundersoft’s demo showcased their new generation Cockpit user interface (UI) that transforms vehicles into immersive mobile hubs supporting seven high-definition screens rendering 3D graphics and six-in vehicle cameras and interactive features. The new UI also showed its capacity to run high-demand AAA gaming titles simultaneously while running AI PC rich applications for smart mobile working
• Deep personalisation: with powerful AI algorithms learning driver preferences, automakers can offer a highly personalised experience, adapting cockpit settings without voice commands. Zhipu’s AI Car Assistant demonstrated the power of local large language models (LLMs) running on Intel's compute platform. The demo highlighted the ability to execute complex vehicle control commands through natural language processing, answer vehicle-related questions accurately, and even engage in leisurely chat with users, providing a more interactive and enjoyable journey
• Enhanced productivity, gaming and entertainment: turn the vehicle into a mobile office and entertainment hub with immersive 4K displays, multiscreen setups and advanced 3D interfaces
• Intel’s AI PC accelerator programme: bringing together more than 100 independent software vendors (ISV) partners who have created 500+ features and AI apps, immediately providing an unparalleled ecosystem that can be leveraged within the vehicle.

Building blocks for the future

Intel provides the building blocks for a future where driving is smarter, safer and more personalised than ever. The increased compute power offered by the dGPU opens a world of possibilities for automakers to differentiate their brands today, with the added confidence they are ready to deliver a new level of AI-driven experiences to their customers tomorrow.