By Dave Richardson, senior VP, software & services engineering
At a time when artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the world, General Motors is embracing it to enhance manufacturing, to revolutionize vehicle technology, and to build smarter vehicles and exceptional customer experiences.
Today, GM unveiled an expanded collaboration with NVIDIA to develop next-generation vehicles, factories, and robotics using AI simulation and accelerated computing.
GM already has been investing in NVIDIA GPU platforms for AI model training. Now we’re extending this relationship to improve automotive plant design and operations. Using the NVIDIA Omniverse™ platform, we’re creating digital twins of assembly lines, enabling virtual testing and production simulations to reduce downtime. We will also use NVIDIA DRIVE AGX for in-vehicle hardware for future advanced driver-assistance systems and in-cabin enhanced safety driving experiences.
Additionally, we’re applying AI to robotics platforms for precision welding and material handling and transport, while improving manufacturing efficiency, freeing our workforce to focus on the craftsmanship that customers love about GM vehicles.
Better together
In the past, a vehicle’s central control unit, or VCU, was sufficient for basic features like Bluetooth calls or screen navigation. But car buyers now expect more customization and convenience – and we’ve reimagined our electrical architecture in response. The integration of vehicle hardware and software will make our cars far more capable and flexible.
Indeed, we’re well underway in developing a unified and updatable software platform for everything from smaller vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox to full-scale trucks like the GMC Sierra EV.
In the years ahead, cars will have features you could have never before imagined. Already you can do things like stream movies in your car, use your vehicle to power your campsite, and transform your ride into a theater with Dolby Atmos surround sound. You can drive with your hands off the wheel under certain conditions in properly equipped vehicles – and eventually you should be able to take your eyes off the road under appropriate circumstances. Software will help unlock many new capabilities, as we send regular over-the-air updates, improving the customer experience for vehicles already on the road.
Super Cruise, GM’s advanced driver assistance system, is just one example of what’s possible with software-defined vehicles. In 2017, GM became the first automaker to offer hands-free driving, and we’ve since added features like hands-free trailering and automatic lane changes. By the end of this year, Super Cruise will be available on 750,000 miles of compatible roads in North America. And more capabilities are coming, like better integration with navigation.
New frontiers
In the future, we expect to launch personal autonomous vehicles, or PAVs, with the ability to take you wherever you want to go without a human driver. As we enhance driver-assistance features and introduce advanced levels of autonomy, a sophisticated electrical architecture with high-performance computing becomes critical.
The work we’re doing with companies like NVIDIA adds agility to our already highly sophisticated vehicle design, engineering, and manufacturing processes. By further integrating physical and industrial AI applications (including digital twins, simulation, and robotics) we continue to optimize manufacturing, accelerate virtual testing, and ultimately build smarter, more connected vehicles for our customers.
Harnessing the latest technologies will help GM to lead the industry in offering a wide range of reliable and high quality EVs and gas vehicles. By merging technology with human ingenuity, we’re unlocking new frontiers in vehicle manufacturing and beyond.
Source :GM
