BEIJING — Deeproute.ai, a Chinese language startup creating autonomous driving techniques, introduced a $100 million funding spherical Tuesday from an undisclosed automaker, whereas emphasizing shut ties with chipmaker Nvidia.

Pitchbook information confirmed Chinese language firm Nice Wall Motor led the funding.

It has been troublesome to acquire financing, particularly from a non-government supply, Maxwell Zhou, CEO of DeepRoute.ai, informed reporters Tuesday in Mandarin, translated by CNBC.

The startup can be in “deep cooperation” with Nvidia, Zhou mentioned, noting “in-depth discussions” with the chipmaker’s CEO Jensen Huang.

Zhou spoke on “Commercializing mass-produced autonomous driving options” at Nvidia’s carefully watched GTC AI convention in March.

Shenzhen-based Deeproute mentioned it makes use of Nvidia’s Orin chip for its present driver-assist system.

The startup added it’s the first firm in China to acquire Nvidia’s newer Thor chip for vehicles and can launch a brand new system utilizing it subsequent 12 months that may use extra visible cues to handle extra advanced driving eventualities.

“A number of firms in China are competing on autonomous driving. It’s truly a contest over AI,” Zhou mentioned.

By way of AI computing energy, Deeproute mentioned it has its personal capability, and might faucet Alibaba‘s if wanted. The e-commerce and cloud computing firm led a $300 million funding spherical in Deeproute in 2021, giving it a valuation of greater than $1 billion simply two years after it was based in 2019, based on the startup.

The U.S. in October 2022 imposed sweeping restrictions on China’s means to entry essentially the most superior semiconductors from Nvidia and different American firms. Automotive chips do not at present fall in that class.

Nvidia is scheduled to launch earnings for the quarter ended Oct. 27 on Nov. 20. For the quarter ended July 28, the chipmaker mentioned its automotive section noticed income rise by 37% year-on-year to $345 million.

Deeproute at present works with Chinese language automakers promoting in China. The corporate expects at the least three automotive fashions utilizing its driver-assist system will hit the highway this 12 months.

Already, Deeproute’s techniques are working in additional than 20,000 vehicles on the highway, Zhou mentioned. He expects that quantity to extend, probably by ten-fold, subsequent 12 months.

The startup, which has an workplace in California, mentioned it’s trying to work with overseas automakers and plans to take part in Japan’s auto present subsequent 12 months.

Deeproute has centered on utilizing synthetic intelligence to mechanically drive vehicles, with out counting on “high-definition maps.” That permits a automobile to make use of driver help tech on roads the place these technical parameters have not been created.

It is a development automotive tech firms comparable to Xpeng and Huawei are pursuing — and Tesla‘s technique for creating autonomous driving. Elon Musk’s automotive firm has centered on utilizing cameras and synthetic intelligence to steer the automobile, with out heavy reliance on HD maps.

These maps, utilized by autonomous driving firms comparable to Alphabet’s Waymo, give a automotive an in depth image of metropolis streets. However they should be created earlier than a automotive runs on the highway, a course of that may drive up prices.

Zhou mentioned the corporate could be very longing for Tesla’s driver-assist product — known as “Full Self-Driving” — to enter China. His reasoning is that Tesla’s product will encourage extra shoppers to turn into extra eager about driver-assist options — and enhance Deeproute’s prominence within the sector.

When requested about IPO plans, Zhou mentioned the startup would preserve to its personal growth tempo, but it surely welcomed the newest public choices of different trade gamers.

Chinese language autonomous driving software program developer WeRide went public on the Nasdaq final month, whereas robotaxi operator Pony.ai has filed for a U.S. IPO.

Firms in China’s autos trade are more and more driver-assist tech as a option to keep aggressive out there.

Pony.ai introduced Saturday an settlement to cooperate on mass-development of totally autonomous robotaxis with state-owned Beijing Automotive Group’s new power automobile subsidiary.

Tencent on Monday introduced it prolonged its strategic cooperation with German autos provider Bosch to work on autonomous driving and tech-enabled cockpits. The 2 firms first agreed to strategic cooperation in 2020.