Nvidia has a long history of advancing autonomous vehicle technologies, supplying the industry with powerful graphics processing units capable of executing millions of calculations at once. Now, the semiconductor leader is enhancing its autonomous vehicle (AV) strategy by expanding its talent pool in China.
According to a post on its official WeChat account this Tuesday, Nvidia is looking to fill about 24 positions across its autonomous driving team based in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. This team encompasses various roles in software, end-to-end platforms, system integration, mapping, and product management, and is led by Xinzhou Wu, a key figure recognized for implementing smart driving features in mass-produced vehicles throughout China.
In August, Nvidia attracted Wu, the previous head of autonomous vehicles at Xpeng, a rising Chinese electric vehicle company often likened to Tesla for its focus on intelligent driving. Wu’s LinkedIn profile reveals he now serves as Nvidia’s head of automotive and is on the executive staff team, reporting directly to Jensen Huang, the company's founder and CEO.
Nvidia holds a pivotal role in the self-driving sector, largely due to its cutting-edge graphics cards. Last September, the company launched its latest line of automotive-grade chips, called Thor, boasting an impressive 2,000 teraflops of performance.
Nvidia's decision to treat China as a vital hub for its AV initiatives is not surprising. Fierce competition in the country's automotive market has prompted many electric vehicle manufacturers to invest heavily in autonomous driving technology, cultivating a wealth of talent in moving concepts from research and development to mass production.
Wu, who heads Nvidia's AV team and manages the China division, suggests that China's expertise could be instrumental in Nvidia’s success in the smart driving arena. In his statement included in the job posting, he remarked:
“Let’s hope that the Chinese autonomous driving team can become a driving force in commercializing Nvidia’s autonomous driving products, leveraging the country’s talent and experience to develop solutions for the global market.”
Nvidia's relationship with China is complex. Under U.S. export controls, the company is restricted from exporting its most advanced AI GPUs to China, one of its largest markets. However, its automotive offerings are currently unaffected.
Led by Wu, Nvidia’s AV team undertakes diverse operations to “design, create, and deploy” AI systems for automation and autonomous vehicles. These tasks include AI training and testing, as well as real-time data processing for various applications, ranging from robotaxis to commercial fleets and passenger vehicles.
Wu’s transition has garnered support from his former employer. In a Weibo post announcing Wu’s departure, Xpeng’s founder and CEO, He Xiaopeng, expressed pride in his former employee for achieving a “top-level management role” at a “globally recognized company”—which, as it turns out, is Nvidia.
On social media, both He and Wu have hinted at a collaborative venture between Xpeng and Nvidia in the semiconductor space. In a photo shared by Wu the day before starting at Nvidia, he was seen alongside Huang and He, indicating a strong partnership between the two companies. Wu wrote in his post:
“Tomorrow is my first day at Nvidia, and I appreciate Xiaopeng for personally escorting me here. According to Old Huang [Jensen Huang], I will still be working for Xiaopeng in the future, just without him having to pay my salary.”
Nvidia has chosen not to comment on this developing story.
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