Volvo will use Nvidia’s tech for hands-free, point-to-point driving — SkimNews
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- Volvo said Thursday it will use Nvidia's Hyperion autonomous-driving stack and Alpamayo software to power a Level 2++ system that handles traffic lights, stop signs, and unprotected left turns without explicit driver control — closely mirroring Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
- Nvidia VP Ali Kani told The Verge the setup will resemble the system already rolled out in the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA, and emphasized that point-to-point driving could be more commercially valuable than highway-only assistance.
- Volvo confirmed the system will rely on cameras and Nvidia silicon rather than lidar, though Bakkenes left the door open to adding the laser sensor later if the automaker chooses.
- Volvo is leaning on its own safety reputation to differentiate the system, contributing proprietary driver-understanding analytics that go beyond basic driver monitoring, plus connected-car tech that lets vehicles share hazard and roadwork data ahead.
- Volvo previously had to sideline its Ride Pilot Level 3 system in the US after failing to secure regulatory approval, and its earlier lidar plans collapsed when supplier Luminar went bankrupt — the new Nvidia partnership explicitly extends a preexisting relationship.
- Volvo plans to offer the point-to-point system across its full lineup from entry-level to high-end trims, but Bakkenes offered only a vague timeline of "before the end of the decade," declining to name which models launch first.
Why it matters: Volvo is betting its ADAS roadmap on Nvidia after two prior autonomous-driving setbacks — a Level 3 system stalled by US regulators and a lidar plan killed by supplier Luminar's bankruptcy — making the Hyperion-based Level 2++ platform effectively its third swing at the problem, with a deadline of 2030 and no first models named.
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