While MediaTek is more commonly known among tech enthusiasts for its mobile phone chips, the company has not held back from investing into hardware and software beyond the status quo. With that being said, MediaTek recently announced its newest (and possibly one of its biggest) endeavours yet with “Dimensity Auto,” an automotive platform that adds a bit more intelligence to your average car.
MediaTek says that Dimensity Auto gives users a comprehensive set of features that includes Dimensity Auto Cockpit, Dimensity Auto Connect, Dimensity Auto Drive, and Dimensity Auto Components. Jerry Yu, Corporate Senior Vice President and General Manager of CCM Business Group states:
“With the Dimensity Auto platform solutions, we are extending MediaTek’s technological advantages in the automotive segment to the next level. Our goal is to leverage decades of expertise across several categories in technology to deliver the smart life on wheels, as we work together with the world’s top automotive brands to create a more intuitive, immersive, safe, and comfortable driving experience.”
Dimensity Auto Cockpit
With Dimensity Auto Cockpit, MediaTek aims to give drivers efficiency with a “flagship-grade experience” by incorporating smart home and entertainment experiences inside vehicles, using the company’s chip manufacturing processes for improved performance and power efficiency. Dimensity Auto Cockpit features include:
- A complete portfolio of solutions with hardware and software scalability
- MediaTek’s AI multi-processorswith both deep learning accelerator (MDLA) and vision processing unit (MVPU)
- 3nm advanced process, efficient power consumption and scalable AI processor
- MediaTek MiraVision smart display technologywith support for multiple displays and 8K 120Hz screens in HDR
- Support for multiple HDR cameras and dedicated DSP for microphone audio processing
- Full suite of entertainment streaming and decoding, taking advantage of MediaTek’s extensive expertise in computing and multimedia
Dimensity Auto Connect
As for Dimensity Auto Connect, MediaTek has integrated several of its wireless communication technologies for more “always-connected” driving experience. This includes 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, navigation, and NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) satellite communications – features commonly found in smartphones, but have yet to be equipped en masse by car manufacturers. Dimensity Auto Connect will come with the following connectivity features:
- Automotive communication technologies based on 3GPP open standards, including MediaTek 5G NTN technology, 5G RedCap, and more
- 5G Sub-6GHz with Carrier Aggregation technology for extended range and multi-gigabit data speeds
- Wi-Fi 7 equipped with MediaTek’s hardware offload technology
- High interoperability and coexistence of multiple wireless network standards, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G
- GNSS coverage for more accurate positioning
Dimensity Auto Drive & Dimensity Auto Components
MediaTek has also integrated its AI Processing Units (APU) with Dimensity Auto Drive to enable ADAS solutions, which the company says will provide a “scalable and comprehensive open platform” towards intelligent assist and autonomous driving solutions.
Additionally, MediaTek also introduced Dimensity Auto Components, which provides automotive-grade chipsets and stand-alone components, which the company says is aimed towards better power management solutions while driving, support for advanced integrated display technology such as flexible OLED screens and large-screen, multi-display options for new EV units, improved vehicular positioning and navigation even in underground parking structures, tunnels and other satellite dead zones.
With all that said, MediaTek has a bit of a way to go with its new platform, especially since competing brands such as Qualcomm have likewise pushed resources and development towards similar smart auto hardware and software. On the other hand, this new announcement does hold a lot of promise given MediaTek’s experience and expertise with smart connectivity technologies, and folks looking to invest in such have a lot of things to look forward to.
