Details were also given regarding Mobileye’s plans for software-defined radar customized to autonomous vehicles, but it’s the new Lidar SoC that could really be the game changer. Costs can mount quickly when outfitting AVs with current Lidar sensors and technologies. The future photonic integrated circuit, or PIC, however, which is expected to arrive in 2025, could drive costs down significantly, while easing integration.

In short, NVIDIA’s new DRIVE platform will kick Mercedes-Benz into a much-needed higher gear in the race for autonomous driving, giving chase to Tesla and many others.

Autonomous vehicles require high speed processors and machine learning to accomplish impressive self-guided driving, without the the need for human direction.