Autonomous Driving Domain Controller Alliance Advances Vehicle Autonomy

On December 16, Infineon Technologies AG and Lenovo deepened their strategic collaboration to accelerate the evolution of autonomous vehicles, with a strong focus on the autonomous driving domain controller. By combining Lenovo’s AD1 and AH1 domain controller units with Infineon’s AURIX family of automotive microcontrollers, the partnership targets higher levels of safety, efficiency, and real-time data processing in next-generation vehicles.
Autonomous driving domain controller as the vehicle intelligence hub
The autonomous driving domain controller has become the central brain of modern vehicles, integrating perception, decision-making, and control functions. Lenovo’s AD1 and AH1 platforms are designed to manage advanced driver assistance systems while handling the growing complexity of in-vehicle software and electronics. Infineon’s AURIX microcontrollers enable deterministic real-time performance, functional safety, and robust cybersecurity, all critical for advanced autonomy.
Together, the solution supports:

• Advanced driver assistance systems with low-latency response

• High-speed data exchange across in-vehicle networks

• Improved energy efficiency for compute-intensive workloads

Enabling scalable autonomy from L2 to L4
The joint solution provides a scalable foundation for original equipment manufacturers to address multiple autonomy levels using a unified hardware and software approach. From Level 2 partial automation to Level 3 conditional automation and up to Level 4 high automation, the platform is designed to adapt as vehicle intelligence requirements evolve.
This scalability allows automakers to:

• Reduce development complexity across vehicle programs

• Reuse core architectures for multiple autonomy levels

• Accelerate time-to-market while maintaining safety compliance

Accelerating the shift to software-defined vehicles
A key objective of the collaboration is to support the industry-wide transition toward software-defined vehicle architectures. By leveraging the autonomous driving domain controller as a centralized compute platform, OEMs can decouple hardware from software, enabling faster development cycles and over-the-air software enhancements.
The solution emphasizes:

• Greater architectural flexibility for future features

• Enhanced system dependability and functional safety

• Easier integration with cloud and connectivity ecosystems

Infineon and Lenovo also plan to work closely with additional partners across the automotive value chain, reinforcing an open and collaborative approach to autonomous vehicle development and ensuring long-term platform viability.