Key facts
- Pony.ai CFO Leo Wang said demand for AI compute already far exceeds supply and is one of the company's pain points.
- Wang said Pony.ai engineers are directed to use midtier compute resources instead of high-end ones when deploying training models.
- Wang said Chinese companies have been practicing a Plan B for a few years, though he said it is not yet the most cost-effective choice.
- Nvidia supplies AI computing technology to the autonomous driving industry, including full-stack partnerships with Mercedes-Benz, Zoox and Wayve.
- May Mobility said it is targeting deployment of more than 10,000 autonomous vehicles through 2031 using the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.
Pony.ai CFO Leo Wang told TechCrunch in an interview published November 15 that demand for AI compute already far exceeds supply, describing it as one of the pain points the Chinese autonomous vehicle company struggles with. He said Pony.ai's response is twofold: engineers are directed to be as efficient as possible when deploying training models, which can mean using midtier compute resources instead of high-end ones, and the company is turning more to domestically produced chips.
Asked what would happen if export restrictions on Nvidia chips tighten, Wang said Chinese companies have already been preparing. "Everyone, I would say, is also practicing kind of like a Plan B for a few years, so at least if you think about that, I would say there are alternatives," he said, adding that cost-effectiveness is probably not yet the best. He said the alternatives are more mature than a few years ago.
Nvidia is a major supplier of AI computing technology to the autonomous driving industry, though the degree of reliance varies. Some companies use Nvidia automotive processors to run automated driving software, others use Nvidia GPUs to train models, and some hold full-stack partnerships, including Mercedes-Benz, Zoox and Wayve.
The newsletter also reported that Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang resigned from his leadership post after admitting to an affair with an alleged spy, news that spread through Web Summit. TechCrunch said the remarks at the conference had emphasized Chinese founders and companies.
Separately, May Mobility said it plans to use the Volkswagen all-electric ID. Buzz for its global ride-hailing platform and is targeting deployment of more than 10,000 autonomous vehicles through 2031. Volkswagen told TechCrunch it is offering an automated driving-ready base vehicle to companies that develop their own self-driving systems, and that its MOIA group is not dropping Mobileye.
Newmo, a Japanese robotaxi startup, raised a ¥20.8 billion round led by KDDI, roughly $135 million. Dutch parking technology company ParkBee acquired Mobian's city and parking operations. Port, an urban logistics company, raised €14.5 million in a round led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Balnord.
Lucid reported Q3 revenue of $350 million, below Wall Street expectations, and a Q3 net loss of $830.9 million, narrower than a year earlier. The EV maker increased its delayed draw term loan from largest shareholder Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to $1.75 billion.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a Waymo software recall from a year ago issued after reports that its robotaxis were illegally passing school buses. The agency said a majority of the reported incidents occurred after Waymo deployed a software update intended to fix the problem. Sources familiar with Waymo told TechCrunch there have been no school bus-related incidents since March, a claim the outlet said it could not independently verify with the Austin Independent School District.