A strategic push toward smarter and more accessible self-driving technology is taking shape as Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast announced a new partnership focused on autonomous mobility. The company said on Tuesday that it is working with Israeli AI firm Autobrains to enhance its autonomous driving technology and introduce a lower-cost “robo-car” system.
In a statement, VinFast said the two companies are jointly developing a “new autonomous vehicle architecture capable of transforming virtually any car into a self-driving ‘robo-car’”. The approach aims to reduce costs and make autonomous features more widely available.
The proposed system will rely mainly on cameras, instead of expensive technologies such as LiDAR sensors and radar arrays. This camera-first strategy is expected to lower hardware costs while still supporting advanced autonomous functions.
VinFast and Autobrains also plan to gradually integrate higher levels of autonomous capability across VinFast’s entire product portfolio. This includes models such as the VF 8 and VF 9 sport utility vehicles.
Autobrains did not immediately respond to a request for comment from a news agency.
VinFast operates under the Vingroup conglomerate, owned by Vietnam’s richest man, Pham Nhat Vuong. The company is Vietnam’s first homegrown electric vehicle manufacturer and plays a central role in the country’s electric mobility push.
As part of its global expansion strategy, VinFast listed on the Nasdaq in 2023. The company is aiming to compete with major EV players such as Tesla while expanding its presence across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and Canada.
Within Vietnam, VinFast’s electric scooters, cars, and buses are widely used across the country’s population of 100 million. While fully driverless cars are still some distance away, progress in autonomous driving has accelerated in recent years. Major US companies such as Tesla and Waymo are already testing robotaxi services, alongside efforts by Chinese rivals.
The momentum extends beyond Vietnam. Last month, Japan’s Nissan announced plans to integrate AI-powered systems developed by autonomous driving firm Wayve into its vehicles.
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