Nvidia has contributed to the world of self-driving cars by introducing new technology. The brand has brought the Nvidia Drive PX 2, a small and energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) computer. This device can be used by automakers to power automated and autonomous vehicles for driving and mapping. The company states that data scientists who train their deep neural networks in the data center on the Nvidia DGX-1 can then seamlessly run on Nvidia Drive PX 2 inside the vehicle. The same Nvidia DriveWorks algorithms, libraries, and tools that run in the data center also run in the car. This compatibility helps the unified AI architecture to enable cars to receive over-the-air updates and add new features and capabilities throughout the life of a vehicle.
This new small form-factor Nvidia Drive PX 2 will be the AI engine of the Baidu’s self-driving car. A few days ago, NVIDIA and Baidu joined hands to deliver a self-driving cloud-to-car system for Chinese automakers, as well as global brands.
The Nvidia Drive PX 2 has single-processor configuration made for AutoCruise functions which include highway automated driving and HD mapping. It consumes just 10 watts of power and enables vehicles to use deep neural networks to process data from multiple cameras and sensors. The company claims that more than 80 automakers, tier 1 suppliers, startups and research institutions developing autonomous vehicle solutions are using Drive PX. Its architecture scales from a single mobile processor configuration to a combination of two mobile processors and two discrete GPUs, to multiple Drive PX 2s. This enables automakers and tier 1s to move from development into production for a wide range of self-driving solutions.
Specifications of the Nvidia Drive PX 2 are as follows-
- Drive PX 2 is powered by the Nvidia’s new system-on-a-chip, featuring a GPU based on the Nvidia Pascal architecture.
- Single Nvidia Parker system-on-chip (SoC) configuration can process inputs from multiple cameras, plus lidar, radar, and ultrasonic sensors.
- It supports automotive inputs/outputs, including ethernet, CAN, and Flexray.
The single-processor Nvidia Drive PX 2 will be available to production partners in the fourth quarter of 2016. DriveWorks software and the Drive PX 2 configuration with two SoCs and two discrete GPUs are available already for developers working on autonomous vehicles.
