According to South Korean media reports, in April Samsung Electronics quadrupled deliveries to Tesla of 8-gigabit Gddr6 model Dram memory chips compared to first-quarter levels.
WHAT ARE DRAMS USED FOR IN AUTOMOBILES?
Dram is a type of volatile memory used to temporarily store data necessary for the operation of electronic systems. In Tesla’s case, these chips are used in the car infotainment systems – that is, the digital platforms managing navigation, multimedia content, and the user interface – and in autonomous driving software.
Samsung’s Gddr6 model stands out for its data handling speed, a key feature for real-time processing of information collected from a vehicle’s sensors or cameras.
THE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND TESLA
Last year Samsung signed a long-term semiconductor agreement with Tesla worth $16.5 billion. The South Korean company also plans to start production in the United States, again for Tesla, of advanced microchips for artificial intelligence.
THE SHORTAGE OF MEMORY CHIPS
Memory chips are essential for Tesla, which is also evolving from an electric car manufacturer to a technology company, between autonomous driving systems and robots. However, Elon Musk’s company is also struggling to secure supplies of these devices: since mid-2025 their demand has grown considerably, driven by the development of artificial intelligence, causing a reduction in available supply and a significant price increase.
According to TrendForce, the price of Gddr6 Drams has more than quadrupled in the last six months, rising from $2.846 last October to $12.335 in mid-April.
