Volvo Cars expands automated driving partnership with Nvidia

Volvo Cars has extended its collaboration with Nvidia to create advanced driver-assistance and automated-driving technology, according to a statement released on Thursday. This strategic alliance aims to bolster Volvo's autonomous capabilities as the automotive industry intensifies competition in delivering sophisticated hands-free driving features.

The partnership will leverage Volvo's safety systems and engineering prowess, complemented by Nvidia's artificial intelligence and computing prowess, encompassing the Hyperion sensor, computer architecture, and autonomous-driving software stack. Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo Cars' head of software engineering, noted that initial deployments will concentrate on supervised driving features, retaining driver responsibility for the vehicle.

Bakkenes further expressed Volvo's intent to progressively integrate more sophisticated functionalities, encompassing hands-free driving in urban settings and on highways. This partnership aligns with the broader strategy of major automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Ford, who are also racing to enhance automated-driving systems, ranging from hands-free highway driving to restricted self-driving operations.

Tesla is actively advocating for wider acceptance of its assisted-driving technology in Europe, potentially through an EU-wide vote scheduled for December. The Volvo-Nvidia collaboration is slated to feature in Volvo's vehicles before 2030 and will be rolled out in multiple regions concurrently, excluding China. Volvo's ownership, majority held by China’s Geely Holding, has yet to determine a pricing model for these features, but Bakkenes emphasized that they won't be exclusive to premium models.

Nvidia's automotive chief, Ali Kani, emphasized that the primary objective of their autonomous driving assist technology is safety. Kani expressed confidence in Nvidia's ability to enhance the safety stack through their collaboration with Volvo.