Tesla switches from Samsung to TSMC back to Samsung
Samsung's chip division has finally received another major order. Tesla is having the AI6 processor manufactured there.
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Tesla wants to have its next but one automotive processor AI6 manufactured by Samsung. The manufacturing contract is worth around 16.5 billion US dollars over a period of several years. However, it will still take some time before it starts.
Samsung initially reported the contract to the South Korean authorities without naming the customer. The notification is necessary due to the high monetary value. Tesla boss Elon Musk then confirmed that Samsung will manufacture the AI6. The news agency Reuters reports from several sources that Musk is referring to the 16.5 billion dollar contract.
Driving assistance powered by Samsung
The AI6 will be Tesla's next processor for the driving assistants in its own cars and, in the best case, for full self-driving (FSD). Tesla has been promising the completion of the FSD for several years.
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Samsung is currently producing the AI4 – originally announced as Hardware 4 or HW4 – with 4-nanometer technology. With the upcoming AI5, Tesla is switching to the world's largest chip contract manufacturer TSMC for the time being.
The chip is expected to use 3-nanometer technology. This explains why, according to Musk, TSMC will first manufacture it in Taiwan and then in the new Arizona semiconductor plant. TSMC is delaying the introduction of new production processes in the USA. Musk recently confirmed in an analyst conference that Tesla is postponing series production of the AI5 by one year. It is currently not scheduled to start until the end of 2026 or early 2027.
The AI6 is therefore not expected until 2029. According to Samsung, the agreement with Tesla will initially last until the end of 2033. 2 nm production technology or even more modern technology seems likely.
Samsung needs customers
For Samsung, this is the first major customer announcement in years. The company has never announced a prestigious customer for the 3 nm generation, for example. Samsung's chip manufacturing division has long been considered unreliable, allegedly due to low chip yields in production, among other things. TSMC is now increasing its prices, which is increasing customer interest in Samsung again.
Meanwhile, Samsung is said to be giving Tesla, and Musk in particular, a great deal of room for maneuver. Musk writes on X that Tesla should help out with "production efficiency". " I will walk the line personally to accelerate the pace of progress," Musk claims.
Samsung will manufacture the AI6 at the new Texas semiconductor plant in Taylor. This is unlikely to make much difference to the delayed expansion, as production is years in the future.
(mma)
