Volvo plans to implement door-to-door autonomous driving capabilities in its future models through an expanded partnership with chipmaker Nvidia. This technology is intended to enable autonomous operation on highways and in urban environments.
Since 2017, Volvo and Nvidia have collaborated on autonomous driving systems. Moving forward, Volvo will integrate Nvidia's Alpamayo software stack, Halos operating system, and Hyperion sensor and compute architecture. Volvo states this technology aims to make driving "easier and more effortless for customers."
Initially, Volvo intends to introduce Level 3 "eyes-off" autonomous driving systems. The company also plans to gradually implement "mind-off" autonomous systems. Volvo has not specified a timeline for the introduction of mind-off autonomy, but a next-generation Volvo model is expected to be the first to feature the latest Nvidia software and hardware stack. Volvo's head of software development, Alwin Bakkenes, reportedly stated this could occur within the current decade.
Nvidia's Alpamayo technology is designed for robotaxis and autonomous vehicles, featuring AI that can reason and explain its actions. This system is intended to offer autonomous address-to-address navigation and fully autonomous parking. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA is the first vehicle to launch with the Alpamayo stack, though it utilizes a limited scope of the technology's capabilities.