Intel opens up new business unit to tackle autonomous vehicles

Intel has shifted its autonomous vehicles ambitions into top gear with the launch of a dedicated business unit named Automated Driving Group (ADG).

The announcement is one of the more significant strategic moves from the chipmaker, as it looks to back up the $250 million commitment made by Intel’s venture capitalist business at the LA Auto Show’s AutoMobility conference earlier this month. Intel is just one of a number of companies who are aiming to recapture former glories through the growing connected movement, though it has been making bigger (or perhaps more public) commitments than others.

“We created a new organization called the Automated Driving Group (ADG), which will be solely dedicated to innovating the future of driving and designing the next generation of advanced driver assist systems and autonomous driving solutions,” said Murthy Renduchintala, President of the Client and Internet of Things (IoT) Businesses and Systems Architecture Group at Intel

“Intel’s ADG builds upon Brian Krzanich’s vision for the future of automated cars – a vision he recently shared at the Los Angeles Automobility Show.”

Restructures like this are not uncommon in an industry which is going through major disruptions and evolutions, though Intel does seem to be making the right noises. One sign of this is the appointment of Doug Davis as SVP and GM of ADG. Davis is a lifer at Intel having worked for the company for 30 years, and was planning to retire in the near future. Giving up golf courses and afternoon beers for the world of autonomous vehicles shows Davis sees something he likes in the new business unit.

Autonomous vehicles industry represents a huge opportunity for the Intel team which has taken a couple of blows in recent years following the evolution of the connected consumer. It has the cash, the partnerships and the experience to make it work, now it’s time to see if it has the creativity and imagination to take on the younger generations of disruptors who have been giving it headaches for years.