AutoChips Unveils AC8035 Cockpit-Driving SoC, Targets Engineering Samples in Q1 2027

AutoChips, NavInfo's automotive chip subsidiary, has unveiled AC8035, a sixth-generation automotive system-on-chip intended to combine cockpit computing, driver assistance and parking on one platform. The company presented it at NavInfo's November 6 conference, according to a Chinese report carried by Sina. Engineering samples are planned for the first quarter of 2027.

The proposed single-chip configuration supports smart-cockpit workloads alongside L2/L2+ driver assistance and automated parking. It also supports running large AI models on the device. The announcement describes a development platform and sample timetable, rather than confirming volume production or vehicles already using AC8035.

NavInfo CEO Cheng Peng said chip design has to anticipate future applications because automotive semiconductor development takes longer than the rapid upgrade cycle of AI models. The new design includes headroom in areas such as memory bandwidth to accommodate subsequent model updates, according to the Sina report.

Chinese automotive technology outlet Chedongxi reports Cheng as saying the design can support always-on multimodal interaction without a wake word. He claimed memory bandwidth two to three times that of comparable products, but the report does not specify a test configuration or independently assessed benchmark. These remain executive claims, not demonstrated production-vehicle performance.

The integration is intended to reduce separate controllers and associated hardware. That may simplify a vehicle's computing architecture, but the reports do not quantify a system-level saving for AC8035 or identify a customer vehicle program. Nor do they disclose a final chip price or a volume-shipment date.

Cheng also emphasized data governance as part of the wider automotive offering. Chedongxi quotes his overseas approach as “localizing data, globalizing models”: adapting delivery and data handling to local laws while building reusable model capabilities. He said compliance and privacy protection need to be designed into the data loop, not added after a vehicle is ready for sale.

The broader conference included cockpit-specific models and cooperation with Microsoft on a multilingual large-model ecosystem for automakers expanding overseas. These are wider NavInfo initiatives, not additional specifications of AC8035. For the chip itself, the next stated milestone is engineering samples; validation and the transition to production remain ahead.

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