Strong Start to 2025: Axera Opens Autonomous Driving Headquarters in Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area
Kicking off 2025, Axera commemorates its fifth anniversary with a major milestone: establishing its autonomous driving headquarters in Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area. As a pioneer in intelligent chip innovation, Axera has built its reputation on technical expertise and customer focus, securing a significant market position in smart driving chips. This expansion into Liangjiang New Area represents a strategic move to shape the future of smart mobility and expand Axera's automotive business footprint.
Liangjiang Digital Economy Industrial Park (Photo by Yantong Wang)
Cover: Longxing Mansion in Liangjiang New Area (Photo by Jiaxi Wang)
Over the past five years, Axera has dedicated itself to advancing AI perception and edge computing chips, successfully developing and mass-producing multiple generations of intelligent processors for automotive computing, smart IoT, edge computing, and robotics. The company has secured a leading position in the market, particularly in terms of chip shipments for smart driving and smart IoT applications.
As intelligent connected technology transforms the automotive industry, Liangjiang New Area stands as Chongqing's hub for smart connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), fostering innovation and industry clustering.
This presents a key opportunity for Axera.
"Chongqing's rich automotive ecosystem offers Axera vast market potential for autonomous driving development. In turn, our chips and solutions will enhance the competitiveness of local OEMs and component manufacturers," says Dr. Xiaoxin Qiu, Founder and Chairperson of Axera. "The automotive chip sector represents our next major growth phase and a strategic priority. We're committed to becoming China's leading supplier of automotive-grade chips. Liangjiang New Area aligns perfectly with our autonomous driving strategy, making it our ideal partner."
So far, Axera has established deep partnerships with numerous domestic and international automakers and system integrators, with plans to mass-produce advanced autonomous driving chips. The company is also exploring collaborations with Chongqing's research institutions through joint labs, industry-academia partnerships, and talent recruitment to boost local semiconductor and algorithm development.
Liangjiang New Area is China's third national-level development and opening-up zone, and the first in inland China. Officially approved by the State Council on May 5, 2010, the area gained new momentum in October 2021 when the Central Committee of CPC and State Council unveiled the Planning Outline for the Construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle. The Outline positions Liangjiang New Area as a flagship development zone, calling for high-standard construction and accelerated innovation to establish it as a gateway for inland China's opening up.
Founded in May 2019, Axera is dedicated to creating world-class AI perception and edge computing chips, serving vast markets such as smart city, smart driving, edge computing, and robotics for edge and terminal devices. In November 2023, Axera launched its automotive brand "XMOTIVE" as a Tier 2 supplier, achieving mass deployment in vehicles. The company's two proprietary core technologies—the AXProton AI-ISP and AXNeutron mixed precision NPU—power a comprehensive range of smart driving reference solutions, including front-view integrated cameras, integrated driving and parking domain controllers, Camera Monitor Systems (CMS), and Driver/Occupant Monitoring Systems (DMS/OMS). This is complemented by efficient development toolchains and a robust software development platform to meet diverse customer needs.
