Detroit, Silicon Valley come face to face - Galesburg Register-Mail
Silicon Valley is dotted with research labs opened by automakers and suppliers, who are racing to develop high-tech infotainment systems and autonomous cars. Tech companies — looking to grow and sensing an industry that’s ripe for disruption — are heading to Detroit to better understand the auto industry and get their software embedded into cars. For years the fast-paced tech industry showed little respect for the plodding car industry. The average number of control units has climbed from 30 in 2007. some luxury cars have as many as 100. Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia was best known for making chips for computer games before it got into the car business. For their part, the automakers are learning that rolling out cars that remain static for years until the next model comes out is no longer practical. At the insistence of tech companies such as Telenav and Nvidia, they’re learning to make cars with navigation, infotainment and other features that can be constantly updated. Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, BMW, and others can now update vehicle. Source: www.galesburg.com
