Intel
Intel's Mobileye unit has been awarded a contract to supply millions of autonomous vehicles.
According to Reuters[1], eight million cars will be equipped with self-driving technologies and shipped off to an automaker stationed in Europe.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Erez Dagan, senior vice president for advanced development and strategy at Mobileye[2] told the publication that the contract will come into play in 2021 when Intel's Mobileye EyeQ5 chip is ready.
The processor is an upgrade on the upcoming EyeQ4, which is due to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
While the identity of the purchaser has not been revealed, the deal is one of the largest Mobileye has secured.
Intel acquired the Isael-based self-driving technologies unit last year in a deal worth $15.3 billion[3].
At the time, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said Mobileye fits into the tech giant's strategy to become one of the forerunners for the processing power behind everything from the cloud to the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics.
Cars are becoming far more than traditional fossil fuels, engines, and wheels. Instead, they are becoming bridges to mobility, data collectors, and all in all, far smarter.
It may be many years before the autonomous driving Holy Grail of Level 5 -- where drivers are little more than passengers -- is reached. Recent tests have also given automakers and tech firms alike a reality check due to Uber's fatal crash[4].
However, research is striding forward and both the brains and data behind the technology are key components -- an area Intel intends to dominate.
"Many of you have asked why we think autonomous cars and vehicles are so