NVIDIA Unveils Drive Thor – AI Processor For Self-Driving Cars 

NVIDIA has unveiled a new chip called Drive Thor that is scheduled to go into mass production in 2024 and is expected to revolutionize self-driving cars.

According to Danny Shapiro, vice president of NVIDIA, Thor processors will start in vehicles hitting the roads in 2025, starting with Chinese automaker Zeekr’s 001 EV. They are based on the new Hopper graphics architecture and have a lot of AI capabilities, which is key for self-driving cars. “These processors are capable of scaling up to full autonomy,” Shapiro said, referring to level 4 or 5 autonomy, in which cars can be driven without human attention or even human presence at all.

Thor supports one of Hopper’s key features: the ability to speed up the work of AI algorithms using special transformation engines. NVIDIA also plans to release lower-priced versions of the Thor processor for less demanding driving tasks such as lane control and automatic emergency braking.

NVIDIA has $11 billion in pre-orders for automotive processors and components.