It combines Tegra technology with CUDA-capable GPU and other hardware

Mar 23, 2013 10:11 GMT  ·  By

Technology hasn't quite reached the point where vehicles actually have AIs (artificial intelligences), but they are getting closer each year, and NVIDIA is eagerly contributing to the phenomenon.

The Santa Clara, California-based company has released the Jetson Development Platform for smart vehicles.

This is not exactly hardware meant to control the car completely. More like a means to give vehicles entertainment capabilities and, more importantly, better “awareness.”

According to NVIDIA, Jetson will let developers create visual-based technologies like collision avoidance, lane departure Warnings, and pedestrian detection.

Hardware-wise, it combines a Tegra VCM (featuring an automotive-grade Tegra 3 mobile processor) with an NVIDIA CUDA-capable discrete GPU.

It also has an embedded breakout board (EBB) with various connectivity options, plus a 64 GB mSATA storage drive, a USB cable and HDMI to DVI cable.

Furthermore, Jetson boasts Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS communication capabilities, plus the obligatory power supply, cables and even touchscreen display support (modular I/O breakout boards and a touchscreen display).

“This modularity gives you everything you need to simulate the performance and capabilities of future generations of Tegra VCMs, today,” the company explains.

All the hardware is held together by the Jetson main board, which comes in a tiny 1-DIN form factor (fits in a car stereo slot).

All in all, NVIDIA Jetson has everything needed for automakers to simplify and streamline advanced driver and connected car technologies.

The transition to new generations of mobile SoCs will be accelerated as well, even as the number decreases for processors and independent silver boxes needed to develop computer vision, driver assistance and infotainment capabilities.

Overall, despite how smartcars aren't the sort of things that one can carry around in a bag or pocket (unlike smartphones and tablets), NVIDIA knows how to use its technological acumen to make them better.

Shipments to approved developers will begin at some point next month (April 2013). More information can be found here.

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NVIDIA Jetson platform
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