VinFast, the electric vehicle arm of Vingroup, has announced a collaboration with NVIDIA and AI mobility company Autobrains to develop a Level 4 robotaxi platform designed for large-scale commercial deployment in Southeast Asia.

The partnership was unveiled during NVIDIA GTC Taipei at Computex 2026 on June 1st and forms part of VinFast's strategy to expand its activities in autonomous mobility and software-defined transportation solutions. The collaboration will involve the development of a Level 4 robotaxi platform built on the NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion 10 computing architecture and powered by Autobrains' Agentic AI software. The programme is focused on addressing the challenges posed by Southeast Asia's dense traffic conditions, diverse driving behaviours and highly dynamic urban environments.

The initiative comes at a time when autonomous driving technologies continue to face three major barriers: system complexity, high computing costs and inconsistent performance outside controlled testing environments. While many autonomous vehicle programmes have demonstrated capabilities in limited or highly regulated operating conditions, scaling autonomous driving technology for real-world deployment remains an industry challenge.

To address these issues, VinFast, NVIDIA and Autobrains are developing an open modular architecture that combines vehicle integration, high-performance computing and Agentic AI software. According to the companies, a distinguishing feature of the platform is the use of Agentic AI rather than a conventional end-to-end artificial intelligence model.

Instead of relying on a single AI system to perform all driving functions, Agentic AI employs multiple specialised AI agents that are activated only when required for specific driving tasks. This approach is intended to improve responsiveness and performance in real-world driving environments while reducing computing requirements and optimising resource utilisation.

For VinFast, the programme provides a route to introduce autonomous driving capabilities without the cost structure that has limited the broader deployment of self-driving technologies. NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion provides a validated hardware and software foundation that can reduce the integration work typically associated with autonomous vehicle development programmes.

Southeast Asia has been selected as the initial focus region for the Level 4 robotaxi programme due to its complex traffic conditions. The region's congested roads, varied driving styles and rapidly changing urban environments provide a test environment for autonomous vehicle technology.

Professor Dr Nguyen Van Duong, Vice President of Autonomous Driving Feature Development at VinFast and Director of the company's ADAS/AD Research Institute, said: "VinFast is committed to developing scalable and accessible autonomous driving solutions through collaboration with leading global technology partners. Together with Autobrains and NVIDIA, we are building a practical and cost-effective pathway towards Level 4 mobility in Southeast Asia's dynamic real-world traffic environments."

Duong Nguyen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of ADAS at VinFast Global, also stated: "VinFast is committed to building scalable and accessible autonomous driving solutions through collaboration with global technology leaders. Together with Autobrains and NVIDIA, we are exploring a practical and cost-efficient path toward Level 4 mobility for Southeast Asia's highly dynamic real-world traffic environments."

Senior executives from the technology partners also commented on the collaboration. Rishi Dhall, Vice President of Automotive at NVIDIA, said that building VinFast's autonomous driving programme on NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion with Autobrains' autonomous vehicle software would help accelerate the development of self-driving vehicles capable of operating in complex real-world traffic conditions while continuously improving over time. He added that the platform would support the transition towards software-defined vehicles.

Meanwhile, Autobrains Chief Executive Officer Igal Raichelgauz described the initiative as the first Level 4 robotaxi platform powered by Agentic AI designed for large-scale deployment in commercial vehicle applications.

If successful, the programme could represent a development for both VinFast and Vietnam's automotive technology sector. While many autonomous vehicle projects remain concentrated in controlled operating environments across North America, Europe and China, VinFast's strategy focuses on validating autonomous driving technology within Southeast Asia's traffic conditions. Deployment in the region could provide a basis for future expansion into additional international markets.

The collaboration also reflects VinFast's strategy of expanding beyond vehicle manufacturing into mobility technology, with software, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving capabilities expected to play an increasingly important role in the company's future operations.

In separate developments, Vingroup recently announced plans to invest US$12.75 million in humanoid robot developer VinMotion USA. The investment will be made through VinMotion, Vingroup's robotics research and development subsidiary, as part of the conglomerate's efforts to streamline its overseas investment structure. The project will focus on the development of humanoid robots and related technologies, reflecting Vingroup's activities in technology sectors beyond automotive manufacturing.