[241011] #Volvo #Nvidia #Hyundai

1. Alphabet’s Waymo and Hyundai may join hands for self-driving cars – report

• Alphabet’s Waymo is reportedly in talks with Hyundai to outsource manufacturing of its self-driving vehicles, potentially using Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric models.
• This partnership could replace Waymo’s current collaboration with China’s Zeekr, although no official changes have been confirmed by either company.
• Both Waymo and Zeekr emphasized that their partnership remains unchanged for now, while Hyundai stated that nothing has been determined regarding new business collaborations.
• The talks follow the U.S. imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, effective September 27.
• Alphabet announced plans to invest an additional $5 billion into Waymo over the next few years.
• Hyundai’s stock rose by 4% on the South Korean stock exchange following the news.

2. Breakthrough Volvo lidar safety system expected to be on 2025 EX90 SUV

• The 2025 Volvo EX90 electric SUV will feature a first-of-its-kind long-range lidar sensor, activated in 2025.
• Lidar, which uses lasers instead of radio waves, can detect stationary objects and reflective items like lane markings.
• The EX90’s infrared laser, provided by Luminar and called Iris, extends driver awareness up to 930 feet, surpassing the range of high-intensity headlights.
• This system allows detection of pedestrians over two football fields away, in virtually any weather condition.
• Volvo suggests lidar could reduce severe accidents by up to 20%.
• The lidar feature will be activated through an over-the-air software update.

The Volvo EX90 SUV, debuting in 2025, will use Luminar’s lidar to detect hazards up to 930 feet ahead, aiming to reduce severe accidents by 20%.

3. Alibaba, Nvidia collaborate on advanced autonomous-driving solution, computing services

• Alibaba Cloud and Nvidia are collaborating to advance autonomous driving for Chinese automakers through AI initiatives.
• They unveiled a large multimodal model (LMM) solution for automotive applications, co-developed with Banma Network Technology, at the Apsara Conference.
• Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen large language models (LLMs) are integrated with Nvidia’s Drive AGX Orin platform for autonomous vehicles.
• This integration is being used by major Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers like Li Auto, Great Wall Motors, and Xiaomi.
• Nvidia’s technology has reduced computational costs and latency in real-time processing for Alibaba Cloud’s AI models.
• The LMM solution enables in-car voice assistants to handle complex inquiries and offer personalized recommendations.
• Alibaba Cloud’s Mobile Agent enhances in-car experiences, allowing voice commands like ordering through apps.
• Despite US export controls, Nvidia continues to thrive in China, working on adapting Qwen LLMs for Nvidia’s Drive Thor platform.
• Nvidia and Alibaba Cloud are also collaborating on infrastructure and cloud-based LLM solutions to accelerate computing and increase energy efficiency.
• Alibaba Cloud’s generative AI platform, Model Studio, has seen a significant rise in customers, reaching over 300,000 by September.

4. Hyundai and Plus: Paving the Way for Autonomous Electric Trucks

5. RBR50 Spotlight: Autonomous pickup truck could enhance U.S. military operations

• Kodiak Robotics unveiled its first autonomous test vehicle for the U.S. Department of Defense in late 2023, using a Ford F-150 equipped with the Kodiak Driver system.
• The autonomous truck is designed to handle complex military environments, including off-road conditions and areas with degraded GPS.
• Kodiak secured a two-year, $50 million contract with the U.S. Army in December 2022.
• The company built the autonomous F-150 in less than six months and aims to become a future technology partner for the Army.
• The vehicle demonstrates potential for enhancing military logistics through unmanned transport, offering greater flexibility, efficiency, and safety.
• Kodiak’s modular, vehicle-agnostic autonomous system, used in both military and commercial vehicles, highlights the company’s strategy for scalability across multiple industries.