Autonomous Future?
It seems like the one segment of the automotive industry that’s still hotly debated is autonomous driving. Some say that it has a place in our current society, while others (most people) claim that they are still years away from being safe and independent enough to be offered on a wide scale.
That hasn’t stopped manufacturers from entering autonomous driving; most major makers have recently been investing in future technologies to advance self-driving tech.
Nis
Stellantis x Wayve
Stellantis has just made its move, partnering up with British autonomous driving tech leader Wayve. This new strategic partnership with Stellantis aims to integrate Wayve’s AI driver tech and automated driving intelligence into the Stellantis-based Autodrive Platform.
Doing so will enable the company to offer hands-free, supervised Level 2++ driving in both city and highway conditions. This partnership follows Stellantis’ recent investment in Wayve, combining Wayve’s end-to-end AI driving technology with the automaker’s STLA AutoDrive platform, manufacturing scale, and engineering expertise.
Initially, the partnership will focus on enabling people to use autonomous driving features from a “door-to-door” perspective, while still under the supervision of a licensed driver. However, both companies are also working to develop and expand the technology to become more capable in the future, should regulations allow. The first vehicle integration of this new autonomous tech is set to launch sometime in 2028. Ned Curic, the Chief Engineer and Technology Officer at Stellantis, said they are committed to giving customers a “genuinely intuitive and enjoyable hands-free driving experience.”
Riding The Wayve
Stellantis isn’t the first and only believer in Wayve; the company is considered one of the most valuable technology startups in Europe. Wayve is backed by major companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Uber, not to mention Silicon Valley support from AMD, Arm, and Qualcomm, which make the chips that automakers use.
Nissan is also working with Wayve to enhance its proprietary ProPILOT tech for a mass-market launch. Also part of that collaboration is Uber, with all three companies working on Level 4 autonomous driving cabs for London and Tokyo.
N
Â
