MIPS unveils RISC-V processor for self-driving cars

MIPS unveils RISC-V CPU for autonomous vehicles: MIPS has released its P8700 CPU, based on the RISC-V architecture, targeting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle applications.

• The P8700 Series RISC-V Processor is designed to meet the low-latency, data-intensive demands of cutting-edge automotive applications.
• MIPS, a San Jose-based company, focuses on developing efficient and configurable intellectual property compute and licenses its designs to other chip makers.
• The new processor aims to deliver accelerated compute, power efficiency, and scalability for the automotive industry.

Automotive industry trends and MIPS’ focus: The automotive sector remains a key area of interest for MIPS, with autonomous driving technology driving innovation in compute solutions.

• Sameer Wasson, CEO of MIPS, notes that autonomy is returning to a steady growth rate after some fluctuations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• As autonomy advances, compute needs are evolving towards more AI network compute, moving beyond traditional vehicle technology based on basic microcontrollers.
• MIPS aims to make its technology more mainstream in the automotive industry, addressing the growing demand for advanced computing solutions.

P8700’s unique approach to ADAS and autonomous driving: The new processor offers an alternative to the brute-force approach commonly used in current ADAS and autonomous driving solutions.

• Traditional solutions often rely on embedding a higher number of cores at higher clock rates, which can lead to unrealistic and unrealized performance.
• The P8700’s multi-threaded and power-efficient architecture allows for fewer CPU cores and lower thermal design power (TDP) than current market solutions.
• This approach enables OEMs to develop ADAS solutions in a more affordable and scalable manner, addressing system bottlenecks and data movement inefficiency.

Key features and benefits of the P8700: The processor offers several advantages for automotive applications, particularly in AI and autonomous driving scenarios.

• For Level 2 or higher ADAS systems with AI Autonomous software stacks, the P8700 can offload core processing elements that are difficult to quantize in deep learning.
• This results in over 30% better AI Stack software utilization and efficiency.
• The P8700 features multi-core/multi-cluster and multi-threaded CPU IP based on the RISC-V ISA, progressing toward series production with multiple major OEMs.

Industry recognition and partnerships: MIPS has garnered support from key players in the automotive industry for its new processor.

• Mobileye, a leader in self-driving vehicle technology, has embraced the P8700 for future products in highly automated driving systems.
• Elchanan Rushinek, Executive VP of Engineering at Mobileye, praised MIPS’ collaboration and the potential of the P8700 to enable greater performance and efficiency in cost and power usage.

Technical specifications and availability: The P8700 Series offers advanced features designed for automotive applications and is now available to the broader market.

• It implements the RISC-V RV64GC architecture with new CPU and system-level features optimized for performance, power, and area form factors.
• Key architectural features include MIPS out-of-order multi-threading, coherent multi-core, multi-cluster scaling, and functional safety designed to meet ASIL-B(D) standards.
• The processor is expected to ship with OEM launches in the near future.

MIPS’ vision for the future of automotive computing: The company aims to revolutionize compute solutions for ADAS and higher levels of autonomy.

• MIPS is focusing on building compute solutions from the ground up, specifically tailored for automotive AI applications.
• The company emphasizes the importance of affordable and scalable autonomy solutions to bring the technology to a larger market.
• MIPS’ designs aim to offload performance from AI accelerators in both pre-processing and post-processing stages, supporting the evolving software needs of autonomous vehicles.

Implications for the automotive industry: MIPS’ new processor could significantly impact the development of autonomous vehicles and ADAS technology.

• The P8700’s efficient design may lead to more affordable and accessible autonomous driving solutions, potentially accelerating the adoption of these technologies.
• As the automotive industry moves towards software-defined vehicles, MIPS’ focus on flexible, general-purpose processors could prove valuable in supporting rapidly evolving AI software.
• The company’s presence at the upcoming CES 2025 event suggests that MIPS is poised to make a significant push in the automotive market, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for automotive computing solutions.