Volvo expands Nvidia deal for door-to-door driving tech

Volvo Cars is expanding its partnership with Nvidia to build its next generation of driver-assistance and automated-driving technology. Future Volvo cars will use Nvidia's Hyperion sensor and compute architecture, its Halos OS safety system and its Alpamayo Stack driving software, according to Nvidia's announcement on Thursday, Oct. 15. The deal puts most of the automated-driving stack in one supplier's hands, and Volvo is betting its safety record will set its cars apart, Automotive World noted.reuters.com+1

What the system will do

The companies say the technology will let future Volvos drive "door to door," covering highways, busy city streets and parking. It will arrive first in a next-generation Volvo that is part of the automaker's largest-ever product push, and eyes-off and later mind-off driving will be added over time, Nvidia said. Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo's head of software engineering, told Reuters that the first rollout will offer supervised features, with drivers still responsible for the car. He said the technology should reach Volvo vehicles before 2030 and will launch in several regions at once, but not in China.reuters.com+1

The Verge reported that the system is rated Level 2++. It is designed to handle traffic lights, stop signs and unprotected left turns, and it will not use lidar at first. Volvo has not named the first model or disclosed what the deal is worth, TechCrunch reported. Bakkenes said the technology will go beyond electric cars to plug-in hybrids and gas-powered models. Volvo has not set pricing, but the features will not be limited to its most expensive cars, he told Reuters.techcrunch.com+2

Two driving stacks running together

Ali Kani, who leads Nvidia's automotive division, said the system runs Alpamayo's AI models alongside conventional software that uses machine learning with camera and radar perception. "The point is we run these two stacks at the same time," Kani told TechCrunch. He added that developers have downloaded the open-source Alpamayo software more than 650,000 times.techcrunch.com

"Volvo has been synonymous with car safety for almost 100 years," said Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson, according to Automotive World.automotiveworld.com

A decade-long relationship

The two companies have worked together since 2017, Nvidia said. Every battery-electric Volvo already runs on Nvidia's Orin chip, and Bakkenes said Volvo will now "standardize more on Hyperion," including its set of sensors, TechCrunch reported.nvidianews.nvidia.com+1

The deal comes as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Ford work on more advanced automated-driving systems. Tesla is also seeking wider European approval for its assisted-driving technology, and an EU-wide vote could come in December, Reuters reported. "The most important functionality of autonomous driving assist technology is safety," Kani told the agency.reuters.com