Nvidia teams up with Vinfast for Level 4 autonomous driving chips in Southeast Asia; heading to Malaysia?

Vinfast VF8 for illustration purposes only

Microship and AI giants, Nvidia, has announced a significant expansion of its Drive Hyperion robotaxi-ready platform ecosystem, with a crucial update concerning its adoption in South East Asia.

The initiative brings together global automakers, manufacturing partners, and autonomous vehicle software developers to accelerate the production and deployment of Level 4-capable autonomous fleets worldwide.

An easier way is to think of Drive Hyperion as an all-in-one setup that turns a car into an autonomous robot, and instead of carmakers going through the trouble of developing their own bespoke softwares, Nvidia provides them with this ready-made foundation.

Spearheaded by Vinfast in ASEAN

Overseas market Vinfast VF9

A central focus of this global rollout is directed at Southeast Asia, led by a strategic collaboration with Vietnamese automaker VinFast. Working alongside autonomous software developer Autobrains, VinFast plans to integrate the Drive Hyperion foundation into its manufacturing line to bring Level 4 autonomous vehicles specifically to the Southeast Asian market.

The announcement also highlights expansions across several other international hubs. In Taiwan, Foxconn is expanding its strategic relationship with Nvidia to manufacture Level 4 electric robotaxis. The contract manufacturer plans to debut a commercial service by 2028, initially servicing airport-to-city routes and expanding along high-speed rail corridors, with Kaohsiung serving as a primary deployment city.

Concurrently, Uber is partnering with Autobrains in Europe to pilot a robotaxi program in Munich using the same architecture, while Saudi Arabian tech firm Humain is deploying the system to establish AI-native operational infrastructure for autonomous transport in the Middle East.

Autonomous driving in the Malaysian context

This regional push aligns with broader movements in Southeast Asia's rapidly maturing AI and mobility landscape, which also involves Malaysia.

In mid-May, the Ministry of Transport of Malaysia, alongside the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and Futurise, opened public consultations for the nation's official autonomous vehicle roadmap.

As of September 2025, there was news that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the digital ministry are drafting regulations to develop a legal framework for autonomous vehicles in Malaysia.

Pertaining Vinfast itself, Reuters reported in 2023 that the carmaker planned to export to Malaysia. In the same report, Vinfast also said they would open a plant in Indonesia come 2026 - a promise they made true in December 2025, with a 171-hectare facility in Subang.