Hon Hai, Nvidia, Uber, Stellantis team up on robotaxi plan

Taipei, Oct. 29 (CNA) Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Technology Group said Wednesday it is partnering with Nvidia, Stellantis, and Uber to jointly develop self-driving vehicles and deploy a global robotaxi service.

Hon Hai, known globally as Foxconn, said in a statement that the alliance aims to accelerate the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles worldwide, centered around Nvidia's artificial intelligence (AI)-powered self-driving systems.

Hon Hai said it will provide "hardware and integration know-how" to combine Nvidia's technology with the vehicle platforms of the global automaker group Stellantis, while Uber will leverage its global network to operate robotaxi services in the future.

"Autonomous mobility is a strategic priority within Foxconn's EV (electric vehicle) program," Hon Hai Chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉) is quoted as saying in the statement.

On Tuesday, Liu said at Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in the United States that Hon Hai is working closely with Nvidia to build AI-related infrastructure and integrate AI into its manufacturing processes.

The efforts include an ongoing project to integrate AI into Hon Hai's manufacturing plant in the U.S. city of Houston, which was made public for the first time at the GTC, according to a separate statement issued by Hon Hai on Wednesday.

The project will leverage Nvidia's AI systems to simulate factory scenarios, build thermal analysis software, plan routes for robots that move around in the factory, and monitor manufacturing operations, the company said.

The Houston facility will be the first to deploy humanoid robots, powered by the Nvidia Isaac GR00T N model, on its production lines to create a "benchmark AI smart factory," Nvidia said.

Meanwhile, Hon Hai said it will continue to expand its AI-related production in the U.S., with additional facilities planned for Texas, Wisconsin, and California, in partnership with Nvidia, to meet growing customer demand.

Hon Hai has been operating in the U.S. since 1985, and it currently operates more than 40 facilities across 12 states, according to its website.