Nvidia Expands Partnerships with Chinese Automakers

On Monday, Nvidia announced plans to expand collaborations with Chinese automakers, including BYD, as these companies aim to develop autonomous vehicles and AI-enhanced infotainment technologies to compete globally. BYD will adopt Nvidia’s next-generation automotive chip, Drive Thor, to boost its vehicles’ autonomous driving and digital capabilities.

In a conference call, Danny Shapiro, Nvidia’s Vice President of Automotive, revealed that BYD would also harness Nvidia’s technology to streamline its factories and supply chains and to create virtual showrooms. He confirmed that “Drive Thor will be integrated into BYD vehicles next year.”

During the Nvidia GTC Developer Conference in San Jose, California, Nvidia unveiled its expanded partnerships with various Chinese automakers, such as BYD, Xpeng, and GAC Aion’s Hyper brand. Earlier, both Polestar, under Geely, and Li Auto had expressed their intention to utilize Nvidia’s Drive Thor technology.

Shapiro emphasized the abundance of automakers in China, acknowledging their innovative drive and the regulatory environment that encourages advancements in autonomous driving.

Additionally, Nvidia disclosed new partnerships, including one with the American software company Cerence to adapt large language model AI systems for in-car computing. Furthermore, Lenovo, the Chinese computer manufacturer, is working with Nvidia to deploy large language models.

Nvidia’s technology will also be used by Soundhound to develop a voice command system for vehicles, enabling car owners to access information from a virtual owner’s manual through voice commands.

Notably, Nvidia did not mention collaborations with OpenAI or any other large language model AI developers.

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