[Interview] "Volvo ES90 with NVIDIA Chipset Strengthens SDV Collaboration and Coordination"

Anderson Bell, CTO of Volvo Cars, Interview
Global Debut of the Electric Flagship Sedan ES90
"Volvo is Both a Car Company and a Software Company"
Strengthening SDV Collaboration with Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Google

"The important point is that Nvidia's SoC (System on Chip) was used in Volvo's central computing system. We are continuously strengthening our collaboration with Nvidia regarding core platform integration."

On the 5th (local time), Anderson Bell, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Volvo Cars, made this statement during an interview with domestic reporters after the unveiling event of the flagship electric sedan ES90. He said, "Collaboration with various partners is crucial for realizing software-defined vehicles (SDV)," adding, "Volvo is enhancing cooperation with companies such as Nvidia, Google, and Qualcomm to develop SDVs."

Anders Bell, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Volvo Cars. Provided by Volvo Cars

The flagship electric sedan ES90 unveiled that day is the smartest electric vehicle in Volvo's history. Volvo completed a centralized system by equipping this car with 'Dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin.' This chipset provides computing power exceeding 500 trillion operations per second while collecting surrounding driving information and activating various safety features (ADAS).

The collaboration between Nvidia and Volvo is not new. However, the ES90 is the first Volvo model to be equipped with the latest version of the 'Dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin.' Through this, the Volvo ES90 implements a powerful core computing system that is more than eight times improved compared to the previous generation.

Additionally, it is equipped with cutting-edge sensors including one LiDAR, five radars, seven cameras, and twelve ultrasonic sensors. These sensors exhibit detection capabilities beyond human vision, enabling the identification of road hazards in advance and facilitating proactive measures. Furthermore, a 'Driver Monitoring System' that detects driver distraction and provides immediate support against dangers is also standard.

These innovative safety technologies in the ES90 were made possible by applying a new development method called the 'Superset Tech Stack.' The Superset Tech Stack is a concept that modularizes not only hardware but also software and integrates them. By updating software based on a modular single software and creating hardware platforms, development, maintenance, and repair costs can be reduced. Moreover, over-the-air software updates (OTA) that keep the vehicle always up to date are also simplified. Volvo plans to provide free wireless updates supporting the latest UI (user interface) for 2.5 million previously sold vehicles this year.

CTO Bell said, "While we remain an automobile company, we are also a software company." He added, "SDVs cannot be realized simply by hiring engineers. Unlike general products, a unique approach that prioritizes safety above all and differentiates from traditional vehicles is necessary."