14 Mar 17
News

Intel buys Mobileye

MobilEye, analysis of a highway
Intel has agreed to buy Mobileye, reports Reuters. The U.S. chipmaker has put up $15.3 billion for the Israeli collision-detection and mapping specialist – the largest purchase yet of a company focused only on self-drive technology. 
 
Marking Intel's ambition to play a major role in the autonomous-vehicle sector, the merger could reshape the industry, which has been characterised by an avalanche of deals between automakers and their tech suppliers. 
 
The Mobileye portfolio includes cameras, sensor chips, in-car networking, roadway mapping, machine learning, cloud software and data fusion and management. The company supplies more than two dozen vehicle manufacturers with this driverless technology. 
 
The deal opens the prospect both companies collaborating to offer a wider range of technologies for driverless vehicles, while strengthening Intel's position against rival chipmakers Nvidia and Qualcomm. 
 
Mobileye and Intel are already collaborating, on Intel's fifth-generation of chips to be used in fully-autonomous cars, and with BMW on a fleet of around 40 self-driving test vehicles.
 
Mobileye accounts for 70% of the global market for driver-assistance and anti-collision systems. Intel expects the market for vehicle systems, data and services to $70 billion by 2030.
 
Picture copyright: Intel
Authored by: Frank Jacobs