Waymo Reveals Custom 5nm Chip to Power Next-Generation Robotaxis
Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo has revealed that it developed a custom 5-nanometre application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip to power its next-generation robotaxis. The processor is designed to manage the high volume of sensor input before data reaches the autonomous driving platform’s core decision-making computer, supporting the company’s broader push toward operational efficiency and commercial expansion.
What Happened
Waymo announced the deployment of its sixth-generation self-driving hardware suite on its Ojai robotaxi platform, which has opened to general public passengers across Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. As part of this hardware architecture, the company engineered an in-house 5 nm ASIC chip tailored to ingest and structure massive streams of environmental data. The Ojai platform features 13 high-fidelity optical cameras, generating significant data loads that must be processed rapidly in dynamic urban environments.
According to Waymo, the proprietary chip produces computational throughput exceeding 1,000 trillion operations per second (TOPS). This performance baseline mirrors capabilities offered by Nvidia’s DRIVE AGX Thor automotive computing platform. In building out its hardware stack, Waymo disclosed technical and manufacturing collaborations with semiconductor and hardware partners, including AMD, Micron, Nvidia, Samsung, Sandisk, Socionext, and TSMC.
Key Highlights
- Proprietary Silicon: Waymo built a 5 nm ASIC chip delivering more than 1,000 TOPS of compute performance to pre-process sensor inputs.
- Sensor Load Management: The custom chip handles data from vehicle sensors, including 13 high-fidelity cameras installed on the Ojai model.
- Fleet Deployment: The sixth-generation system is deployed in the Ojai robotaxi, currently carrying passengers in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
- Hardware Collaborations: Manufacturing and hardware partners include TSMC, AMD, Nvidia, Micron, Samsung, Sandisk, and Socionext.
- Regulatory Milestones: Regulators in Nevada approved commercial robotaxi permits for Waymo, Tesla, and Uber, authorising up to 8,000 automated vehicles in Clark County over a 12-month horizon.
Why This Matters
Achieving commercial sustainability in automated ride-hailing requires reducing the expenses associated with manufacturing, operating, and servicing robotaxis. Waymo has stated that its sixth-generation vehicle architecture is engineered to lower these structural costs. By developing specialized silicon, the company aims to maximize computing efficiency, ensuring its vehicles process rich visual data quickly enough to respond safely to dense urban traffic conditions.
The move towards custom silicon also reflects a growing vertical integration strategy in the autonomous vehicle sector. Rather than depending exclusively on off-the-shelf third-party components, Waymo is tailoring hardware to its distinct algorithmic needs, while continuing to collaborate with global semiconductor fabricators and component suppliers.
What to Watch Next
Federal oversight continues as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reviews a low-speed incident involving a child struck by a Waymo robotaxi. Waymo has submitted responses, though public releases remain redacted.
Additionally, observers will track the scale and timeline of commercial deployments in Clark County, Nevada, where Waymo, Tesla, and Uber hold permits allowing up to 8,000 robotaxis over the next 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Waymo’s custom chip designed to do?
The 5 nm ASIC chip is built to process massive streams of raw sensor information—such as feeds from the vehicle’s 13 high-fidelity cameras—before passing the data to the central autonomous driving computer.
How powerful is the new Waymo chip?
Waymo states that the chip achieves computational performance in excess of 1,000 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), comparable to Nvidia’s DRIVE AGX Thor automotive platform.
Where are Waymo’s Ojai robotaxis currently operating?
The sixth-generation Ojai robotaxi has opened rider access to the general public in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Source: TechCrunch Mobility.