Samsung Electronics’ automotive memory semiconductors will be integrated into the next-generation fully autonomous driving computing platform newly unveiled by Waymo, Google’s autonomous driving subsidiary. On the 20th (local time), Waymo revealed its next-generation computing system for the “Waymo Driver” autonomous driving platform, listing Samsung Electronics alongside AMD, Micron, Nvidia, SanDisk, and TSMC as partners. According to semiconductor industry reporting, Samsung Electronics has been confirmed as the memory supplier for Waymo’s autonomous driving system.

Cho Sang-yeon, executive vice president and head of Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions (DS) division Americas (DSA), recently posted on social media emphasizing Samsung’s competitiveness in memory, foundry, and advanced packaging, expressing expectations that “more is coming.” The remarks are being interpreted as a signal that the collaboration with Waymo could extend beyond memory supply.

The 5-nanometer (1nm = one-billionth of a meter) application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that Waymo announced it designed in-house processes data from cameras, lidar, and radar in real time within the vehicle. The chip delivers more than 1,000 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of machine learning (ML) performance. As autonomous driving computing capabilities advance, the role of high-performance memory capable of rapidly processing and storing large volumes of data is growing in tandem.

With the proliferation of autonomous driving and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), automotive memory applications are rapidly expanding beyond traditional infotainment to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), automotive AI, and autonomous driving computing. Samsung Electronics has been continuously strengthening its automotive memory portfolio in response to these shifting customer demands.

Expanding Automotive Memory Portfolio

Since entering the automotive memory market in 2015, Samsung Electronics has expanded its product lineup from low-power DRAM such as automotive LPDDR5X to NAND flash-based storage including UFS used in infotainment and ADAS applications. This year, the company developed the industry’s first UFS 5.0 optimized for on-device artificial intelligence (AI) and plans to begin mass production by year-end.

The company is also investing in automotive system semiconductors. A key product is the “Exynos Auto” automotive processor line, and in 2023, Samsung secured a supply agreement with Hyundai Motor for the “Exynos Auto V920” to be featured in next-generation infotainment systems.

Potential Expansion into Foundry and Packaging

Going forward, the Samsung-Waymo collaboration is expected to extend into the foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) space. Samsung Electronics operates the “SF5A” process, a 5-nanometer-based production line for automotive semiconductors, and is actively pursuing orders for ADAS and autonomous driving chips. With Waymo also ramping up its in-house semiconductor development, there is growing speculation that the two companies’ engagement could broaden from memory to foundry and advanced packaging.

An industry source said, “As Waymo expands its in-house semiconductor development, demand for collaboration could grow not only in memory but also in contract manufacturing and packaging. Given that Samsung Electronics has capabilities spanning from memory to foundry, the scope of future cooperation is likely to widen.”

For Samsung Electronics, the priority is expanding its customer base in the robotaxi memory market, which is expected to grow rapidly. Waymo is a leading operator of commercial robotaxi services in the United States, and the adoption of Samsung memory in its next-generation computing platform is viewed as a critical reference win positioning the company for the expansion of the autonomous vehicle market.