It's not about being stand alone, it is likely Mercedes needs MegaChips's help, to integrate the BrainChip IP into their A.I. solutions (remember, that they have also just helped BrainChip, with the backend design of AKIDA1500).
Remember from the Strategic Partnership agreement with MegaChips.
"By partnering with BrainChip, MegaChips is able to quickly and easily maintain its industry innovator status by supplying solutions and applications that leverage the Akida revolutionary technology in markets such as automotive, IoT, cameras, gaming and industrial robotics"
Now sure, Mercedes could licence the IP directly from us, or they could licence it through the party designing their ASICS (assuming it's MegaChips).
Same same really, but makes more sense, just to do it through MegaChips.
"Hey there MC, we've just licenced BrainChip's IP, which you already have a licence to use, can you design our chips, using said IP?"
The above doesn't sound like a likely scenario..
Remembering, that regardless, Mercedes has to pay the licencing fee, for our IP and any other IP, being used.
We know Mercedes is not shy about mentioning us, so it's not for reason of keeping the association under wraps, as it "may" be with other companies.
@Foxdog's and
@alwaysgreen's wish for a disclosure of the number of licence agreements, through MegaChips (or Renesas, but they only licenced 2 nodes) is a Great idea and someone should ask it at the AGM, or even through Company channels.
I don't see any reason at all, why such a figure, couldn't be revealed?..