This One Component Will Shortcut Your Mercedes to Autonomy

Nvidia looks to take drivers out of the equation with the release of an artificial intelligence computer capable of handling Level 5 autonomy.

It’s time to get on the driverless car train, because they’re coming, and they’re coming fast. The majority of semi-autonomous systems on cars today are classified as Level 2 machines, which, as the SAE puts it, can handle acceleration, deceleration, and some of the steering inputs occasionally. The driver still operates the vehicle the majority of the time.

A prime example of this is Mercedes-Benz’s Distronic Plus with Steering and Active Lane-Keeping Assist, which is optional on the majority of the automaker’s vehicles. The system, as anyone that has used it can attest to, is impressive.

With Level 2 self-driving cars on the road now, one would assume that there’s plenty of time until Level 5 vehicles–fully autonomous machines that can do anything a human driver can–are on the road. But you’d be wrong.

Nvidia, a company that’s known for making high-performance graphics cards for computers, has unveiled a new artificial intelligence computer that’s called Pegasus. Pegasus is roughly 10 times more powerful than its predecessor, the PX 2, and can complete more than 320 trillion operations per second. In other words, the new system is smart enough to handle Level 5 autonomy.

In addition to being extremely smart, Pegasus is also compact. Nvidia claims that current semi-autonomous vehicles on the road have trunks that are filled with various equipment to ensure that everything operates smoothly. Pegasus, on the other hand, is similar in size to a license plate.

Nvidia’s automotive partners will get access to 2018 and could even be used to power incredible machines like the Mercedes-Benz F 015 above sometime in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the driverless car?