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Intel CEO believes autonomous driving data is the new oil

Published

9 years ago

November 17, 2016

The LA Auto Show may be remembered more for its technologies than the actual cars it showcased. That’s because automakers and technology companies are no longer isolated; instead, they’re part of a new and fascinating picture in which, when it comes to the future of automobiles, “data is the new oil.”

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, delivering a keynote address at the Automobility LA conference (as part of the LA Auto Show) on Nov. 15, described the confluence of automobiles, data dependence, and connectivity as being equally valuable as an integrated whole as automobiles currently are on oil. Krzanich stated,

“We are in a time when technology is valued not just for the devices it produces, but for the experiences it makes possible. Data has the potential to radically change the way we think about the driving experience: as consumers, as automakers, as technologists, and as citizens of our communities,”

Intel’s interest in self-driving vehicles has grown over the last year after acquiring machine vision company, Itseez, Inc. this past May. With Itseez in its portfolio, Intel is developing algorithms and implementations of computer vision around automobiles, among other applications. Additionally, a partnership with BMW and system-on-a-chip maker and ex-Tesla partner Mobileye may produce an open platform for designing autonomous vehicles.

“It’s not enough just to capture the data,” Krzanich argued. “We have to turn the data into an actionable set of insights to get the full value out of it. To do that requires an end-to-end computing solution from the car through the network and to the cloud — and strong connectivity.”

Krzanich’ keynote speech marks the first time that Intel, the semiconductor conglomerate, has ever had a prominent role at an automobile show. It follows an editorial that he wrote earlier in the year in which he outlined five key points to accelerate Intel’s transformation from a PC company to a company that powers the cloud and billions of smart, connected computing devices. According to Krzanich:

The cloud is the most important trend shaping the future of the smart, connected world. Virtualization and software are increasingly defining infrastructure in the cloud and data center.
The many “things” that make up the PC Client business and the Internet of Things are made much more valuable by their connection to the cloud. The Internet of Things encompasses all smart devices – every device, sensor, console and any other client device – that are connected to the cloud. Everything that a “thing” does can be captured as a piece of data, measured real-time, and is accessible from anywhere. The biggest opportunity in the Internet of Things is its ubiquity.
Memory and programmable solutions such as FPGAs, which are integrated circuits that can be programmed in the field after manufacture, will deliver entirely new classes of products for the data center and the Internet of Things. Breakthrough innovations and products to the cloud and data center infrastructure are revolutionizing the performance and architecture of the data center, with growth for years to come.
5G will become the key technology for access to the cloud, providing computing power to a device and connecting it to the cloud makes it more valuable. The example of the autonomous vehicle, with its need for connectivity to the cloud alongside the cloud’s need for machine learning capabilities, requires the most up-to-date algorithms and data sets to allow the vehicle to operate safely. In this way, connectivity is fundamental to every one of the cloud-to-thing segments we will drive.
Moore’s Law, in which Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 noticed that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since their invention, will continue. This concept has fueled the recent technology revolution.

Krzanich elaborated at the Automobility LA conference that autonomous cars may soon utilize sensors from LIDAR, sonar, and radar, as well as GPS and cameras. A single autonomous vehicle could generate approximately 4 terabytes (4,000 GB) of data daily. “Every autonomous car will generate the data equivalent of almost 3,000 people. Extrapolate this further and think about how many cars are on the road. Let’s estimate just 1 million autonomous cars worldwide — that means automated driving will be representative of the data of 3 billion people,” Krzanich said.

The keynote speech augmented an Intel press statement that its Capital division will invest $250 million over the next two years into developing technologies around autonomous vehicles, which are “areas where technology can directly mitigate risks while improving safety, mobility, and efficiency at a reduced cost; and companies that harness the value of the data to improve reliability of automated driving systems.”

Source: Brian Krzanich Editorial

Related Topics:Autopilot Full Self-Driving

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Cybertruck

Tesla confirms massive Cybertruck security feature is on the way

“Cybertruck was not 100% carryover in execution like S3XY, so it required work.”

Published

20 minutes ago

August 14, 2025

Joey Klender

Credit: Tesla

Tesla confirmed today that a massive Cybertruck security feature is on the way soon, and it is one that owners have been asking about for a long time.

Like all Teslas, Cybertruck has the excellent security feature known as “Sentry Mode.” The feature essentially turns your Tesla into a moving security camera, recording any event that happens nearby.

It has been used to solve crimes such as vandalism and burglary, and even used by police departments to solve other, high-profile crimes.

Tesla quietly added this extra Sentry Mode feature to deter vandals

However, Cybertruck has been missing one key feature of Sentry Mode: the use of the B-Pillar camera has not been enabled, leaving one of the most vandalized and targeted vehicles in the United States with a weakness.

One person who has been vocal about it is Tesla Cybertruck enthusiast Greggertruck, who has been pushing for answers for months. He finally got his answer from Cybertruck Vehicle Program Manager Siddhant Awasthi:

“It will come soon! Cybertruck was not 100% carryover in execution like SX3Y so it required work. Team has finished work on this and just need to make sure it’s validated and runs reliably (which it should for its feature).”

It will come soon! Cybertruck was not 100% carryover in execution like SX3Y so it required work. Team has finished work on this and just need to make sure it’s validated and runs reliably (which it should for its feature)
— Siddhant Awasthi (@siddawa) August 14, 2025

It sounds as if Tesla’s issue was something they similarly experienced when deploying Full Self-Driving to Cybertruck. The other four Tesla vehicles were able to use FSD because they’re all relatively similar in ride height and overall functionality. They share tons of similarities.

Cybertruck did not get FSD right away because Tesla still had to work on the differences between it and the other cars in the lineup. As Awasthi said, “Cybertruck was not 100% carryover in execution like S3XY, so it required work.”

Tesla Cybertruck FSD release expected for Sept, Park Assist to come first

It sounds as if Tesla is close to resolving some of the more intricate details of adding the functionality, and it was just a matter of time before it figured out the issue.

The release of the B-Pillar camera being active during Sentry Mode events on Cybertruck will likely come in a software update in the coming weeks.

Investor's Corner

Tesla investors may be in for a big surprise

All signs point toward a strong quarter for Tesla in terms of deliveries. Investors could be in for a surprise.

Published

3 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Joey Klender

(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla investors have plenty of things to be ecstatic about, considering the company’s confidence in autonomy, AI, robotics, cars, and energy. However, many of them may be in for a big surprise as the end of the $7,500 EV tax credit nears. On September 30, it will be gone for good.

This has put some skepticism in the minds of some investors: the lack of a $7,500 discount for buying a clean energy vehicle may deter many people from affording Tesla’s industry-leading EVs.

Tesla warns consumers of huge, time-sensitive change coming soon

The focus on quarterly deliveries, while potentially waning in terms of importance to the future, is still a big indicator of demand, at least as of now. Of course, there are other factors, most of them economic.

The big push to make the most of the final quarter of the EV tax credit is evident, as Tesla is reminding consumers on social media platforms and through email communications that the $7,500 discount will not be here forever. It will be gone sooner rather than later.

It appears the push to maximize sales this quarter before having to assess how much they will be impacted by the tax credit’s removal is working.

Delivery Wait Time Increases

Wait times for Tesla vehicles are increasing due to what appears to be increased demand for the company’s vehicles. Recently, Model Y delivery wait times were increased from 1-3 weeks to 4-6 weeks.

This puts extra pressure on consumers to pull the trigger on an order, as delivery must be completed by the cutoff date of September 30.

Delivery wait times may have gone up due to an increase in demand as consumers push to make a purchase before losing that $7,500 discount.

More People are Ordering

A post on X by notable Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt anecdotally shows he has been receiving more DMs than normal from people stating that they’re ordering vehicles before the end of the tax credit:

Anecdotally, I’ve been getting more DMs from people ordering Teslas in the past few days than I have in the last couple of years. As expected, the end of the U.S. EV credit next month is driving a big surge in orders.
Lease prices are rising for the 3/Y, delivery wait times are… pic.twitter.com/Y6JN3w2Gmr
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 13, 2025

It’s not necessarily a confirmation of more orders, but it could be an indication that things are certainly looking that way.

Why Investors Could Be Surprised

Tesla investors could see some positive movement in stock price following the release of the Q3 delivery report, especially if all signs point to increased demand this quarter.

We reported previously that this could end up being a very strong rebounding quarter for Tesla, with so many people taking advantage of the tax credit.

Whether the delivery figures will be higher than normal remains to be seen. But all indications seem to point to Q3 being a very strong quarter for Tesla.

Elon Musk

Tesla bear Guggenheim sees nearly 50% drop off in stock price in new note

Tesla bear Guggenheim does not see any upside in Robotaxi.

Published

5 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Joey Klender

Credit: Tesla

Tesla bear Guggenheim is still among the biggest non-believers in the company’s overall mission and its devotion to solving self-driving.

In a new note to investors on Thursday, analyst Ronald Jewsikow reiterated his price target of $175, a nearly 50 percent drop off, with a ‘Sell’ rating, all based on skepticism regarding Tesla’s execution of the Robotaxi platform.

A few days ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company’s Robotaxi platform would open to the public in September, offering driverless rides to anyone in the Austin area within its geofence, which is roughly 90 square miles large.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms Robotaxi is opening to the public: here’s when

However, Jewsikow’s skepticism regarding this timeline has to do with what’s going on inside of the vehicles. The analyst was willing to give props to Robotaxi, saying that Musk’s estimation of a September public launch would be a “key step” in offering the service to a broader population.

Where Jewsikow’s real issue lies is with Tesla’s lack of transparency on the Safety Monitors, and how bulls are willing to overlook their importance.

Much of this bullish mentality comes from the fact that the Monitors are not sitting in the driver’s seat, and they don’t have anything to do with the overall operation of the vehicle.

Musk also said last month that reducing Safety Monitors could come “in a month or two.”

Instead, they’re just there to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Jewsikow said:

“While safety drivers will remain, and no timeline has been provided for their removal, bulls have been willing to overlook the optics of safety drivers in TSLA vehicles, and we see no reason why that would change now.”

He also commented on Musk’s recent indication that Tesla was working on a 10x parameter count that could help make Full Self-Driving even more accurate. It could be one of the pieces to Tesla solving autonomy.

Jewsikow added:

“Perhaps most importantly for investors bullish on TSLA for the fleet of potential FSD-enabled vehicles today, the 10x higher parameter count will be able to run on the current generation of FSD hardware and inference compute.”