Nvidia to give JLR tech boost
JLR cars launched from 2025 will benefit from the new tech
Connectivity and autonomy targeted by new tie-up with major US software firm
JLR is ultimately aiming for Nvidia-equipped cars to be capable of level-three autonomous driving, which means they will have environmental detection capabilities and will be able to make decisions without human input – but the human drivers must remain alert and able to take control.
Jaguar Land Rover has partnered US software giant Nvidia to introduce heightened connectivity and advanced autonomous driving functionality to all cars launched from 2025.
Forming an important part of JLR CEO Thierry Bolloré’s bold Reimagine transformation strategy for the car maker, the new “multi-year” partnership means the two firms will collaborate on software development, rather than Nvidia supplying its technology off the shelf. Nvidia’s Drive software architecture will be integrated into all new Jaguar and Land Rover cars, supplying them with “next-generation automated driving systems, plus AI-enabled services and experiences for its customers”.
Specific details of the system’s functionality remain under wraps but JLR suggested that active safety, parking systems, occupant monitoring, advanced visualisation and uprated safety aids will be among the headline features. A crucial component for JLR’s business model will be the opening up of new revenue streams courtesy of the heightened connectivity capacity of its cars.
Software engineers from each company have been working together “side by side” on the project for several months already. “Co-development is so very important, and so key, in this partnership,” said JLR strategy director François Dossa. “Collaborating and sharing knowledge with industry leaders in connected services, data and software development is a cornerstone of our Reimagine strategy.”
The cars will still use JLR’s own operating system – currently known as Pivi Pro but likely to be upgraded before 2025 – with Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion computing and sensing stack integrated. As part of the development work, JLR and Nvidia will build a pool of data for ‘training’ the autonomous driving platform, which will then be used to create real-time, physically accurate simulations on Nvidia’s virtual ‘Omniverse’ platform.