Intel, IQ® Ultra 10x Data Processing Capacity Over Predecessor
NVIDIA Supplies Robo-taxi and Autonomous Truck Platform

Intel and Nvidia have signaled fierce competition to claim the throne of autonomous driving technology by announcing the latest technologies, including SoCs, and the expansion of their partnerships.

Intel and Nvidia unveiled a system-on-chip (SoC) and a latest platform, respectively, at CES 2022, which opened in Las Vegas on the 5th.

▲ Mobileye's latest system-on-chip EyeQ® Ultra.

Photo source: Intel website

Intel's subsidiary Mobileye unveiled the new system-on-chip EyeQ® Ultra, developed based on EyeQ® technology.

IQ® Ultra processes the same information as 10 IQ5 system-on-chips in a single package and is designed to provide optimal performance for autonomous vehicles.

At the press conference that day, VolkswagenThe Ken Group and Ford CEO announced the expansion of their relationship with Mobileye.

Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Group, mentioned that Mobileye's mapping technology has been applied to driver assistance features to be installed in Volkswagen, SEAT, and Skoda brand vehicles.

Ford CEO Jim Farley announced that Mobileye is providing driver assistance solutions for the Ford Blue Cruise platform.

Intel also announced details regarding China's Geely Group's Zike brand.

Mobileye plans to produce its first Level 4 commercial autonomous vehicle under the Ziker brand in 2024.

In addition, it announced that it will launch and ship Level 2 or higher autonomous vehicles equipped with the industry's first 360-degree detection system and driving policies for longitudinal and lateral control.

▲ Companies that have adopted NVIDIA's Drive Hyperion 8. Photo credit: NVIDIA

NVIDIA announced the latest generation Drive Hyperion 8 platform.

This is designed with a DRIVE Orin system-on-chip, 12 state-of-the-art surround cameras, 9 radars, 12 ultrasonics, 1 front lidar, and 3 interior sensing cameras.

It is designed to be functionally safe, so that if a failure occurs in one computer or sensor, a backup can be used to allow the autonomous vehicle to take passengers to a safe location.

Next, more companies adopting the DRIVE Hyperion platform were announced.

Electric vehicle manufacturers such as Volvo-backed Polestar, as well as Chinese electric vehicle companies including NIO, Xpeng, Li Auto, R Auto, and IM Motors, have all adopted Drive Hyperion.

Robo-taxi services such as Cruise, Zoox, and DiDi, as well as trucking services such as Volvo, Navistar, and Plus, have also chosen Drive Hyperion.

TuSimple, an autonomous trucking company, also announced at CES that it would build a new platform on NVIDIA Drive Orin.

Ali Kani, Vice President and General Manager of NVIDIA’s Automotive Division, stated, “NVIDIA can benefit from a new software-centric business model,” adding that “new electric vehicles will provide increasingly enhanced features through over-the-air updates.”