GUANGZHOU, China — Chinese language electrical carmaker Xpeng Motors is trying into making its personal semiconductors for autonomous driving to remain forward of the competitors, a prime government on the firm advised CNBC.

The feedback come after expertise information web site 36Kr reported that Xpeng had assembled a small crew to develop semiconductors.

Xinzhou Wu, vp answerable for autonomous driving at Xpeng, mentioned the corporate is trying into numerous applied sciences, together with autonomous driving chips.

“Nicely, I can not say an excessive amount of about that … the competitors in China market is fierce … so we’re all choices. What are the very best methods to maintain our benefit within the competitors? So to date we’re doing very properly in software program,” Wu advised CNBC on Wednesday.

“However shifting ahead we’re all potential choices: learn how to maintain us … profitable this competitors,”

When requested if that features exploring in-house chipsets as properly, Wu mentioned: “That is one of many instructions, sure.”

Wu didn’t give additional particulars.

Xpeng launched a new electric sedan called the P5 on Wednesday. The car is supplied with Lidar or or Gentle Detection and Ranging expertise, which makes use of lasers to map the automobile’s environment.

That is crucial to allow a number of the P5’s autonomous driving options which might be inbuilt.

At present, the P5 makes use of chips from Nvidia for autonomous driving and Qualcomm for its in-car digital cockpit.

Designing its personal semiconductors may give Xpeng extra management over the mixing between its {hardware} and software program.

The corporate has been specializing in growing expertise in-house as a method to differentiate from rivals in China’s crowded electrical car market. Not solely is Xpeng competing with conventional automakers and start-ups, however an rising variety of expertise corporations reminiscent of Baidu and Xiaomi have additionally jumped into the fray.

Wu claimed the P5’s {hardware} and software program and “usability of the general options is rather more superior” than its opponents — and that may give the corporate an “edge.”

Chinese language expertise corporations have been placing an rising give attention to growing their very own semiconductors. Baidu last month raised money for its chip business and Xiaomi unveiled a new chipset for the camera on its latest flagship smartphone.