BYD moves next-generation 4D radar chip into mass production

BYD Semiconductor has started volume production of a next-generation 4D millimeter-wave radar chip, another sign of the carmaker's push to build its own smart-driving hardware. The chip is designed to work as a satellite around BYD's in-house Xuanji A3 computing platform, with which it has already completed integration and tuning.

Conventional millimeter-wave radar cannot capture elevation-angle data, which limits how well advanced driving systems read complex city streets. The new part addresses that gap with a 28nm automotive-grade process, a single-chip design carrying eight transmit and eight receive channels, and a MIPI CSI-2 interface compatible with mainstream SerDes, letting it pair with widely used smart-driving platforms.

BYD Semiconductor cites stable detection beyond 400 meters, 0.8-degree horizontal angular resolution and parking-grade range resolution of 0.05 meters. The chip meets ISO 26262 ASIL B and AEC-Q100 requirements and, the company claims, tolerates junction temperatures from minus 40 to 150 degrees Celsius — the widest span in the industry. Systems built around it can cover Level 2 through Level 4 functions such as highway navigation assist, urban driving, automated parking and blind-spot monitoring.

In-house chips are becoming a common moat for Chinese EV makers, with Nio, Xpeng and Li Auto already running their own silicon in production cars. BYD says its cumulative semiconductor R&D spend has topped 100 billion yuan ($14.73 billion), backed by a team of more than 7,000 engineers, four R&D bases and five wafer fabs. The 4nm Xuanji A3, unveiled in May, is reportedly set to debut on a Denza model in 2027.