Graphics microchip maker Nvidia on Tuesday launched an artificial intelligence run computer system for the first fully autonomous vehicles. At the same time they announced logistics giant Deutsche Post DHL Group with ZF to use a test fleet of self-driving electric delivery trucks next year with $NVDA technology.
Graphics microchip maker Nvidia on Tuesday launched a artificial intelligence run computer system for the first fully autonomous vehicles. At the same time they announced logistics giant Deutsche Post DHL Group with auto parts group ZF to use a test fleet of self-driving delivery trucks next year with $NVDA technology.
The new AI computer is called the new Drive PX Pegasus and takes self driving cars to new level 5 of autonomy, with no human co-pilot.
“Creating a fully self-driving car is one of society’s most important endeavors—and one of the most challenging to deliver,” CEO Jensen Huang said in an address at the GPU Technology Conference in Munich, Germany.
What is Drive PX Pegasus?
- Combines four powerful processors in a device the size of a license plate
- Can complete 320 trillion operations per second, 10 times the performance of Nvidia’s previous generation of self-driving car computer.
- Expected to be available in the second half of next year,
- Has already attracted commitments from leading autonomous car startups, including Zoox, NuTonomy, and Optimus Ride.
NVidia Re-Sim Program
Operates on Nvidia’s DGX computers and can simulate driving 300,000 miles in five hours. “The simulator can test a new app virtually driving on every paved road in the United States in less than two days” Nvidia said. The system uses deep learning and artificial intelligence to provide a lieral road map simulation for the self driving vehicle.
Deutsche Post StreetScooter Electric Delivery Vehicles
The scotters will use ZF’s ProAI self-driving system powered with Nvidia’s Drive PX technology. The ZFsystem has sensors include cameras, radar, and light ranging and detection radar known as LiDAR that will connect to the self-driving system.
At the conference a prototype delivery vehicle was unveiledwith six cameras, one radar and two LiDar feeding into the Nvidia Drive PX platform. The platform has an AI algorithm-based operating system, and a cloud-based high-definition 3D map that constantly updates.
While the pilot program is small the potential is huge with Deutsche Post having a fleet of 3,400 StreetScooter electric delivery trucks on the road now. Danny Shapiro, senior director of automotive at Nvidia said these self-driving delivery trucks will not replace the driver Fortune reports. They will “improve the efficiency of this delivery person,” he said.
“The development of autonomous delivery vehicles demonstrates how AI and deep learning are also reshaping the commercial transportation industry. As online shopping continues to explode, and the shortage of truck drivers becomes more dire, AI-enabled vehicles will be key to providing last-mile delivery services.” Huang said in a statement
Source: NVidia Blog