Micron Warns: L4 Autonomous Vehicles to Drive Memory Demand to 300GB, Risking New Shortage

Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra recently stated that as Level 4 (L4) autonomous vehicles gradually enter mass production, memory requirements per vehicle will surge to over 300GB—far exceeding the current mainstream figure of 16GB. These advanced autonomous driving systems must process vast amounts of real-time road condition data, creating substantial demand for high-speed memory. Micron is already collaborating with multiple automakers to advance the deployment of related technologies and plans to increase its production capacity by 20% in 2026. Additionally, the company intends to build new wafer fabrication plants in Japan, Singapore, and the United States, with operations expected to commence between 2028 and 2029. Nevertheless, if L4 vehicles are rapidly adopted without a corresponding timely expansion in supply capacity, it could trigger a new round of memory chip shortages and price hikes. Currently, widespread adoption of L4 vehicles remains constrained by high costs and lagging regulatory frameworks, meaning large-scale deployment will still take time.