GM partners with Nvidia to boost electric cars' autonomous driving

General Motors hopes to improve its future electric cars and smart manufacturing by teaming up with Nvidia. The new partnership will give GM access to Nvidia's advanced AI chips and software. The company plans to use it to improve its autonomous driving tech and streamline its factory operations.

GM plans to use Nvidia's advanced AI platforms to train its own models for factory planning, making the manufacturing process more efficient. In addition, Nvidia's autonomous driving technology will be integrated into GM's future advanced driver-assistance systems. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but it's confirmed that GM will purchase Nvidia's chips for its driver-assistance technology.

The partnership comes at a time when traditional automakers are increasingly focusing on autonomous technology. GM's previous efforts with its Cruise robotaxi service, which used Nvidia chips, were eventually halted. Now, GM is focusing on bringing advanced driver-assistance features to personal vehicles. This new partnership may provide a bit more stable and cost-effective approach.

GM's existing SuperCruise driver-assistance technology is projected to generate roughly $2 billion in annual revenue within five years. GM's decision to partner with Nvidia follows other major players in the automotive industry. Toyota, Hyundai, BYD, Mercedes-Benz, and Rivian, are already using Nvidia's technology for their autonomous driving ambitions.

Nvidia offers various AGX chips, including the AGX Orin and AGX Thor, each with different processing capabilities. The AGX Orin can handle 254 trillion operations per second (TOPs), while the AGX Thor, powered by Nvidia's latest processors and Blackwell GPU, can deliver 1,000 TOPs. GM has not specified which AGX chip it will be using.

While GM had previously invested heavily in self-driving cars, it is now taking a more measured approach. Most consumer systems available right now require drivers to stay vigilant, even in hands-off modes. With the exception of Waymo, large-scale robotaxi services are still largely experimental. Tesla has announced plans to launch its robotaxi service in Austin this June, with CEO Elon Musk predicting it could significantly boost the company's valuation.

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