BEIJING — Zelostech plans to use multiple chip suppliers from China and elsewhere over the next year or two instead of relying only on Nvidia for its self-driving systems. The company currently uses two Nvidia Orin chipsets in each of its autonomous vehicles.
Using China-made chips would cost far less than the two Nvidia Orin chipsets currently used in each vehicle, according to Shi Yunjian, director of finance and investment at Zelostech. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce hardware expenses while maintaining performance across its fleet.
Zelostech claims it already has more than 25,000 vehicles operating in over 20 countries. Most of these vehicles operate in mainland China, primarily serving logistics companies that deliver packages. The company’s vehicles do not carry people and many are smaller than a mail truck.
The shift away from exclusive reliance on Nvidia comes as Chinese AI developers have increasingly optimized their models to run on domestic hardware rather than Nvidia's widely used CUDA ecosystem. Nvidia's driver-assist chips, such as the Orin series used by Zelostech, are not subject to the same U.S. export restrictions that apply to more advanced semiconductors used for training and running large AI models.
Zelostech’s planned transition aligns with industry trends in China, where companies are adopting locally produced semiconductors to address cost and supply chain considerations. The company intends to integrate chips from multiple suppliers while ensuring compatibility with its existing autonomous driving software stack.