Mercedes-Benz and NVIDIA, the global leader in accelerated computing, plan to enter into a cooperation to create a revolutionary in-vehicle computing system and AI computing infrastructure.
In a live-streamed media event from Stuttgart and Silicon Valley, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius and NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang announced today that the automaker will launch software-defined, intelligent vehicles using end-to-end NVIDIA technology.
The new software-defined architecture will be built on the NVIDIA DRIVE™ platform and will be standard in Mercedes-Benz’s next-generation fleet, enabling state-of-the-art automated driving functionalities. A primary feature will be the ability to automate driving of regular routes from address to address. In addition, there will be numerous future safety and convenience applications. Customers will be able to purchase and add capabilities, software applications and subscription services through over-the-air software updates during the life of the car.
Starting in 2024, every next-generation Mercedes-Benz vehicles will include this first-of-its-kind software-defined computing architecture that includes the most powerful computer, system software and applications for consumers, marking the turning point of traditional vehicles becoming high-performance, updateable computing devices.
These capabilities will continue to be better, as AI technology advances at lightning rates.
Centralizing and unifying computing in the car will make it easier to integrate and update advanced software features as they are developed. Just like a mobile phone, which periodically gets software updates, these software-defined vehicles will be able to do the same.
With over-the-air updates, vehicles can constantly receive the latest autonomous driving and intelligent cockpit features, increasing value and extending the joy of ownership with each software upgrade.
“The definition of a car will change forever. No longer will the best moment of your car be at the point of sale. The Mercedes-Benz partnership is the starting point, and behind it are thousands of engineers. They’re your own personal software and research lab, who will stay with you over the life of the car,” says Jensen Huang CEO of NVIDIA, This will revolutionize the way cars are sold and enjoyed.”
Automated driving functions in future Mercedes-Benz cars will be powered by the next-generation NVIDIA DRIVE platform. The computer system-on-a-chip, called NVIDIA Orin™, is based on the recently announced NVIDIA Ampere supercomputing architecture. The NVIDIA DRIVE platform includes a full system software stack designed for automated driving AI applications. NVIDIA and Mercedes-Benz will jointly develop the AI and automated vehicle applications that include SAE level 2 and 3, as well as automated parking functions (up to level 4).
The new system’s state-of-the-art capabilities will be harnessed with a total focus on safety. As the technology and regulatory framework develop, it will be possible for every car to be updated over the air to enable new automated driving functions. Convenience as well as other safety features will also be available.
To develop the new models, both companies will be utilizing NVIDIA DRIVE Infrastructure solutions to enable data-driven development and deep neural network development to handle the requirements of the regions and operational domains where the cars will be available
State of the Art at Any Age
Breakthroughs in AI and computing are opening future fleets to dramatic new functionality, fundamentally transforming the vehicle architecture for the first time in decades.
Like all modern computing devices, these intelligent vehicles are supported by a large team of AI and software engineers, dedicated to improving the performance and capability of the car as technology advances.
This software-defined architecture is also opening up new business models for automakers. Mercedes-Benz can add capabilities and services over the air at any time through the life of not just one customer, but across customers through the life of the car.
Mercedes’ next generation of automotive innovation will be developed with AI from end to end.
This development begins in the data center. Both companies will work together to validate intelligent new autonomous driving experiences using NVIDIA DRIVE Infrastructure solutions.
DRIVE Infrastructure encompasses the complete data center hardware, software and workflows needed to develop and validate autonomous driving technology, from raw data collection through validation. It provides the building blocks required for DNN development and training as well as provides necessary validation, replay and testing in simulation to enable a safe autonomous driving experience.
NVIDIA’s complete DRIVE Software stack (including DriveWorks, Perception, Mapping and Planning) will run on Mercedes-Benz’ new, centralized compute architecture using the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin platform. This next-generation AI compute platform delivers 200 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup, from entry level to high end.
By developing an architecturally coherent and programmable fleet, Mercedes-Benz will again redefine what it is to be a mobility company, nurturing a growing installed base to offer software upgradeable applications and subscription services for the entire life of its upcoming fleet.