Wayve’s Self-Driving Technology to be Incorporated into Nissan Vehicles
▼ Summary
– Nissan has partnered with UK-based startup Wayve to integrate its self-driving software into Nissan’s ProPilot ADAS starting in 2027.
– Wayve’s software, which uses a self-learning approach, will be combined with various sensors, including lidar, to create a new standard for autonomous driving with advanced collision avoidance.
– The system will be a Level 2 ADAS, meaning it can handle multiple driving tasks but requires driver supervision, and is set for mass production by 2027.
– Wayve’s technology is adaptable to existing sensors and does not rely on high-definition maps, making it attractive to automakers for its cost-effectiveness and versatility.
– Nissan aims to leverage Wayve’s AI to enable future vehicles to replicate the judgment and actions of a competent human driver in complex scenarios.
Nissan has announced a significant partnership with UK-based startup, Wayve, to enhance its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Starting in 2027, Nissan will integrate Wayve’s cutting-edge self-driving software into its ProPilot ADAS, marking a pivotal moment for the rapidly growing startup, which has amassed over $1.3 billion in investments from industry giants such as Nvidia, Microsoft, SoftBank Group, and Uber.
The collaboration will see Nissan utilize Wayve’s software along with various sensors, including lidar from an as-yet-unnamed supplier. According to the Japanese automaker, this integration aims to establish a “new standard for autonomous driving with advanced collision avoidance capability.”
Scheduled for mass production by 2027, the system will operate as a Level 2 ADAS under driver supervision. While Nissan has not specified which vehicle models will feature this technology, the Level 2 system—as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers—indicates that the system can handle multiple driving tasks such as steering and braking, but a driver must remain in control at all times.
Founded in 2017, Wayve has gained considerable attention for its innovative automated driving system, which employs a self-learning approach rather than traditional rules-based methods, akin to Tesla’s strategy. Wayve has developed an end-to-end data-driven learning technique suitable for both “eyes on” assisted driving and “eyes off” fully autonomous driving.
Distinct from Tesla, Wayve plans to market its “Embodied AI” technology to various automakers and tech companies. What makes Wayve’s approach particularly attractive to automakers is its independence from specific sensors or high-definition maps. This adaptability allows Wayve’s system to function with existing sensors like cameras and radar, utilizing data from these sensors to inform its driving decisions directly.
Although Wayve’s development fleet currently employs Nvidia’s Orin system-on-chip, co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall has indicated that the software is versatile enough to operate on whatever GPU is already present in the OEM partner’s vehicles.
This versatility translates to a cost-effective software solution applicable to advanced driver-assistance systems, robotaxis, and even robotics. Kendall highlighted these points last month at Nvidia’s GTC conference.
In an email, Nissan spokesperson Shiro Nagai emphasized that Wayve’s Embodied AI foundation model is trained on vast amounts of real-world driving data, enabling the software to adapt to various environments and vehicle platforms. “Leveraging Nissan’s technology and Wayve’s AI, we are confident it will allow future Nissan vehicles to closely replicate the judgment and actions of a careful and competent human driver in complex driving scenarios,” Nagai stated.
(Source: TechCrunch)
