DETROIT (Reuters) – Volvo Cars said on Monday it would use a new generation of high-power chips from Nvidia Corp to enable more autonomous driving functions in future vehicles starting next year.
Volvo is part of a slew of new and established carmakers that put the power of digital processing before power, while trying to catch up with Tesla Inc.
Tesla, the world’s most valuable automaker, has partially taken the lead in software-based features and functional capabilities, equipping its cars and SUVs with powerful and expensive on-board computers that can handle complex tasks, such as be automatic driving, and modernized by air.
For Nvidia, the Volvo deal, a deal similar to the launch of Faraday Future electric vehicles and other deals expected in the coming weeks marks a resumption of growth for the gaming processor and data center car business.
“Nvidia’s car order pipeline has grown to many billions of dollars,” Danny Shapiro, Nvidia’s chief automotive director, told reporters ahead of the company’s GTC21 conference. Revenues for the company’s car business will fall by 23% in 2020
Volvo Cars, owned by Chinese company Geely Holding, has said it will use Nvidia’s new Drive Orin system, with much more processing power than current Nvidia chips used in Volvo vehicles, starting with a next-generation XC90 sport utility vehicle that to be released next year.
In a sign with Tesla, Volvo said vehicles equipped with the new Nvidia Orin systems will be “hardware-ready” for autonomous driving functions, such as a “Highway Pilot” feature that will be activated through a software download. “When it is verified that it is safe for individual locations and geographical conditions. ”
Faraday Future said it will offer autonomous driving, parking and a “summoning” feature in its FF 91 model to be launched in 2022. Tesla already offers a “summoning” system that allows a car to navigate through a parking at the remote control of the owner.
Rival automakers, including Daimler AG and several Chinese electric vehicle start-ups, are taking a similar approach.
Nvidia also said Monday that it is developing a new on-board computer system on a chip called the Atlan, which will give a car the computing power currently found in a data center. This chip should be ready for 2025 models, Nvidia said.
Reporting by Joe White; Editing by Nick Zieminski