GoKawiilWaymo reveals custom 5nm chip powering its sixth-gen robotaxi system
Waymo disclosed it built a proprietary 5-nanometer ASIC chip that pre-processes the massive stream of sensor data—including feeds from 13 cameras—before it reaches its self-driving system's core computer. The company says the chip delivers more than 1,000 TOPS of processing power, putting it near the performance level of Nvidia's DRIVE AGX Thor chip, and is a key part of the vehicle now rolling out to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco.
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The chip disclosure shows how deeply Waymo has vertically integrated its hardware stack, not just its software, in pursuit of lower costs and better performance as it scales robotaxi service. Building custom silicon rather than relying solely on off-the-shelf chips like Nvidia's could give Waymo tighter control over cost, power efficiency, and reaction speed in dense urban environments—factors critical to eventually making the business profitable.
- Waymo's sixth-gen system uses a custom 5nm ASIC chip to process data from 13 cameras and other sensors.
- The chip offers over 1,000 TOPS, comparable to Nvidia's DRIVE AGX Thor automotive processor.
- Custom silicon underpins Waymo's push to make its Ojai robotaxi cheaper to build, operate and maintain.
Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 — While Waymo packs custom 5nm silicon and a full sensor suite into its Ojai robotaxi, human drivers can get a small slice of that always-on road awareness with the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2. It's tiny enough to hide behind the mirror, records continuously, and connects to your phone so you can pull clips right after an incident. A simple way to keep your own eyes-on-the-road record until the robotaxis reach your city.
See Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techcrunch.com — Kirsten Korosec, 2026-08-23
Published there as: “TechCrunch Mobility: The custom chip driving Waymo’s robotaxi ambitions”
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