When Ambarella CEO Fermi Wang said Chinese automakers were “copying the Tesla model,” he was talking about over-the-air software updates and faster vehicle-development cycles—not claiming they were copying Tesla’s designs, hardware, or business model. In a November 2023 EE Times interview, Wang described Chinese companies as bringing products to market sooner and continuing to improve software after launch.
What did Ambarella mean by “copying Tesla”?
Wang’s comparison was specifically about updating vehicle software over the air (OTA) and the development approach that makes quicker releases possible. He said: “The Chinese are copying the Tesla model [upgrading software over the air] rather than the German model.”
In this context, OTA updates let a manufacturer deliver software changes to a vehicle after it has been sold, rather than relying only on changes made before the vehicle leaves the factory. Wang’s statement does not establish that Chinese automakers copied Tesla’s vehicle styling, hardware, business model, or particular designs.
How fast did Wang say Chinese automakers develop products?
Wang contrasted the timelines he said he saw in China with those elsewhere. These are his characterizations in a 2023 trade-publication interview, not results from an independent study of automakers across markets.
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| Group, as described by Wang | Product-introduction timeline he reported | What the comparison means |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese OEMs and tier ones | 18–24 months, according to Wang in the November 2023 EE Times interview | He attributed the shorter cycle to prioritizing faster product releases and software updates after launch. |
| Companies “anywhere else” | About 48 months, according to Wang in the same interview | This was Wang’s broad comparison; it should not be read as a measured timeline for every non-Chinese automaker. |
Wang also recalled that German automakers at the IAA motor show were surprised by how quickly Chinese vendors had developed and displayed electric vehicles. The interview gives his perspective, but does not provide a neutral cross-market comparison of development time, validation, quality processes, or vehicle performance. It therefore supports a claim about what Wang observed and argued—not a conclusion that every Chinese EV maker is faster than every European or U.S. competitor.
What are Ambarella’s CV3 chips designed to do?
Ambarella’s CV3 automotive system-on-chip (SoC) family targets computing tasks for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous-driving workloads. Wang said CV3-family revenue would come first, but not exclusively, from China. The interview presents these products as automotive technology, not consumer gadgets.
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CV72-AQ and ADAS Plus Smart Parking
Ambarella introduced the CV72-AQ at the Shanghai Auto Show. Wang said it could process data from as many as six cameras and five radar sensors for a China-specific feature set Ambarella called “ADAS Plus Smart Parking.” He gave a $40–50 target price for the chip in the 2023 interview; that was a stated target, not evidence of a current retail price or a price available to consumers.
Wang described the single-chip approach as a way to improve on ADAS based on a single forward-facing camera while keeping the cost of surrounding components in check. The interview does not establish that all vehicles using CV72-AQ have the same sensor configuration or parking capabilities.
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Are Chinese cars replacing side mirrors with cameras?
Wang described Chinese automakers as interested in replacing conventional wing mirrors with electronic camera-and-display systems. He said: “China is the first one to say, ‘You don’t need that; an electronic mirror can operate by itself’.”
He pointed to potential advantages including better low-light performance, aerodynamics, color processing, and blind-spot detection. He also acknowledged that drivers may need time to adapt to viewing the images on dashboard displays instead of looking at a mirror outside the vehicle. His comments describe an emerging approach and its proposed benefits; they do not show that camera mirrors are universal in China or established as the norm in other markets.
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Which automotive companies did Ambarella name as partners?
Wang described Ambarella’s strategy as working with large tier-one automotive suppliers as well as engaging directly with automakers. In the traditional arrangement he outlined, tier ones provide software, hardware, and integration, while OEMs remain the end customers.
Continental
Wang said Ambarella and Continental were jointly developing hardware and AI-based software for ADAS and autonomous driving. In the November 2023 interview, he forecast a product for 2027 and said software revenue from the collaboration could potentially begin then. That was a forward-looking expectation at the time; the interview does not confirm whether the product launched or revenue began as forecast.
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Bosch
The interview said Bosch was developing ADAS systems based on Ambarella’s CV3 family. It did not specify a launch date or provide further product details.
Wang explained the appeal of the arrangement this way: “As a smaller company than [our competitors], it’s important we have a partner that’s huge. That’s why we focus on tier ones.” He also said Ambarella needed to engage automakers directly because they are the end customers.
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