On October 25, the Fourth Tsinghua University Symposium on Automotive Chip Design and Industrial Applications with Alumni Forum was held in Wujiang District, Suzhou. As an alumna of Tsinghua University’s Department of Automation, Dr. QIU Xiaoxin, Founder and Chairperson of Axera, was invited to deliver a keynote speech, providing an in-depth analysis of how cost-effective AI chips can drive the inclusive development of smart vehicle.
With the continuous advancement of AI technology, both cloud and edge chip markets continue to expand. However, these markets have distinct characteristics: the cloud chip market features high concentration among users and suppliers, while the edge chip market is highly fragmented, with each application scenario requiring specialized chip solutions. Therefore, edge chip companies need broad multi-domain capabilities to address diverse market demands.
As a chip company focused on edge and terminal AI inference, Axera adheres to its founding principles of dedication, commitment, and excellence in chip design. The company is committed to providing AI chip solutions for system products across multiple industries, working toward its corporate strategy of becoming a platform chip company.
In her speech, Dr. Qiu explained, “Being a platform chip company doesn’t mean having one chip that serves all niche markets. Instead, it requires building a robust technology platform consisting of core IP components that can be arranged and combined like building blocks. This approach enables us to develop chip products tailored to different market segments and build a comprehensive product portfolio.”
In the smart vehicle field, Axera has demonstrated a clear commercial product trajectory since entering the ADAS chip sector in 2021. The company’s first automotive chip achieved mass production in June 2023, with cumulative deployment expected to reach one million units by the end of 2025. By 2026, the deployment scale is projected to grow several-fold. These milestones mark the company’s entry into a new phase where scaling and commercialization work in tandem.
Dr. Qiu pointed out that ssmart vehicle represent the most characteristic edge application in the AI era, with development constrained by stringent requirements for safety, real-time processing, and computing power. She emphasized that the company has consistently sought to balance this “impossible triangle.”
In her view, the integrated driver assistance market can be divided into two major segments: first, the AEB market driven by regulatory mandates, and second, the ADAS market focused on intelligent experience.
Currently, multiple countries and regions worldwide, including China, have mandated that vehicles be equipped with AEB systems. Over the next 3-5 years, the global AEB regulatory market is estimated to average approximately 50 million vehicles annually, with the Chinese market accounting for about 12 million vehicles.
To address the market’s requirements for cost-effective AI chips, Axera has successively launched two generations of automotive chips: M55H and M57. M55H has achieved large-scale production across multiple models from mainstream automakers and became the second-largest shipping domestic ADAS chip in 2024. M57 was globally released during Auto Shanghai 2025, featuring multi-country regulatory compliance capabilities and earning recognition from multiple international Tier 1 partners. AEB solutions based on this chip will serve global OEM customers. Over the next 3-5 years, Axera aims to join the top tier of chip suppliers in the global AEB regulatory market while continuing to advance large-scale operations and global strategies.
Advanced driver assistance represents another important market, centered on highway/urban NOA and higher-level autonomous functions. In 2025, global vehicle deployment in this market is expected to reach approximately 10 million units, with the Chinese market accounting for about 6.5 million units. “It is safe to say that China leads the world by about three years in this market,” Dr. Qiu noted, adding that Axera’s positioning in this space is also progressing steadily.
At the conclusion of her speech, Dr. Qiu emphasized that automotive chips require long-term, safe, and stable supply. “As a dedicated Tier 2 supplier, Axera consistently upholds long-term principles, providing stable long-term value to industry partners through a comprehensive product portfolio and reliable supply assurance, serving as a trustworthy strategic partner in the industry value chain.”
