Lucid Partners With Nvidia on Self-Driving Cars
EV Maker Plans to Use Nvidia’s DRIVE AV for Level 4 Autonomy
Key Takeaways:
- Lucid Group said Oct. 28 it will partner with Nvidia to develop a fully autonomous vehicle platform starting with advanced driver assistance for its Gravity SUV.
- The collaboration aims to use Nvidia’s DRIVE AV system with cameras, radar and lidar to reach level four autonomy, where cars manage all driving tasks.
- Lucid’s interim CEO said no timeline is set for full autonomy but called consumer-ready driverless technology a priority as the company also expands its robotaxi partnerships.
[Stay on top of transportation news: .]
Lucid Group Inc. is partnering with Nvidia Corp. to develop a fully autonomous vehicle platform, as it races to become one of the first automakers to build a passenger car that requires no supervision from drivers.
The partnership will start with building more advanced driver assistance technology for Lucid’s existing Gravity SUV, the EV maker said Oct. 28. Eventually the goal is to use Nvidia’s new, more advanced DRIVE AV platform, which includes a sensor suite of cameras, radar and lidar, to develop level four autonomous vehicle capabilities, where the car can handle all driving tasks.
Lucid is teaming up with the tech giant as it, and the EV industry as a whole, increasingly leans into advanced driverless systems for both consumers and robotaxis. Although Lucid’s progress on autonomous vehicles trails that of Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo robotaxi unit and Tesla Inc., the automaker has said before it is in talks with mobility partners on level four technology.
Lucid interim CEO Marc Winterhoff declined to give a timeline for when the companies could achieve fully autonomous cars but said offering the technology to consumers is a priority.
“After a night out somewhere, you want to be driven home, you don’t want to have to take over at some point,” Winterhoff said in an interview. “We think with today’s technology and with these kinds of partnerships we can make it work.”
RELATED:Uber to Deploy 100,000 Nvidia-Powered Robotaxis
The EV maker’s midsize platform will launch its first vehicle next year. Winterhoff said the new design is already able to accommodate autonomous technology, and Lucid’s existing vehicles, the Lucid Air and Gravity SUV, could incorporate it in future refreshes.
In July, Lucidalso announcedit would partner with Uber and Nuro to develop a robotaxi fleet of Lucid Gravity SUVs outfitted with Nuro’s driverless technology, owned and operated by Uber. The companies plan to deploy at least 20,000 vehicles over six years. Winterhoff said the company will continue taking different tracks with autonomous technology, including its robotaxi partnership, and internal work.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing belowor go here for more info:
