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Sep 243 min read

Alibaba and Nvidia Join Forces to Enhance Autonomous Driving and Computing Services

Alibaba Cloud and Nvidia collaborate on an AI initiative to enhance autonomous driving for Chinese automakers. Integration of Alibaba Cloud's large AI models with Nvidia's Drive AGX Orin platform for autonomous vehicles. Advanced capabilities of Qwen large language models enable dynamic conversations for in-car voice assistants.


Alibaba and Nvidia Join Forces to Enhance Autonomous Driving and Computing Services
Credit: Shutterstock

The collaboration was unveiled by Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology arm of the e-commerce behemoth, during the Apsara Conference. This partnership introduces a cutting-edge large multimodal model (LMM) solution for automotive applications, developed in conjunction with Nvidia and Banma Network Technology, an intelligent cockpit solutions provider under Alibaba.


The collaboration integrates Alibaba Cloud's Qwen portfolio of proprietary large language models (LLMs), such as Qwen2-7B and Qwen2-VL, with Nvidia's Drive AGX Orin platform designed for autonomous vehicles. These LLMs serve as the foundation for generative AI services like ChatGPT. Notably, this is the first time Alibaba Cloud's large AI models have been integrated into Nvidia's Drive automotive platform, which is used by well-known Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers such as Li Auto, Great Wall Motors, Geely Auto's Zeekr Intelligent Technology, and Xiaomi's EV.


Using Nvidia's model acceleration technology, computational costs were significantly reduced, and latency in real-time processing of complex tasks by Alibaba Cloud's AI models was minimised. As Alibaba Cloud points out, this enhancement ensures a seamless and uninterrupted intelligent experience for both drivers and passengers. Zhou Jingren, Chief Technology Officer of Alibaba Cloud, stated that this collaboration will empower businesses and individuals to harness the potential of generative AI.


Qwen's advanced capabilities in handling complex enquiries and processing visual intelligence allow the new LMM solution to support dynamic, multi-turn conversations for in-car voice assistants. These assistants can now make recommendations, such as sharing information about nearby landmarks or advising drivers to turn on their headlights under certain conditions. Furthermore, Alibaba Cloud's Mobile Agent within the LMM solution enables vehicle owners to easily execute voice commands, improving their in-car experiences, such as ordering milkshakes via a food delivery app.


Despite strict US export controls that prevent Nvidia from selling its most advanced graphics processing units to mainland Chinese companies, the collaboration with Alibaba Cloud continues to thrive. Nvidia's financial report for the fiscal year ending January 28 revealed that China is the company's third-largest market. The partnership also includes plans to integrate Qwen LLMs with Nvidia's Drive Thor, a next-generation centralised car compute platform that includes advanced driver assistance, autonomous driving, and AI cockpit capabilities.


Nvidia and Alibaba Cloud are actively involved in various LLM-related initiatives for accelerated computing, which use parallel processing to speed up work and improve energy efficiency across demanding applications. Furthermore, the collaboration aims to create tailored solutions to help traditional enterprises migrate their LLM operations to the cloud. This shift to cloud computing technology allows businesses to manage and distribute software and digital resources via the internet as an on-demand service, similar to electricity from a power grid.


Alibaba Cloud announced that its proprietary foundational model, Tongyi, has attracted over 300,000 customers via its generative AI platform Model Studio, a significant increase from the 90,000 reported in May.

 

  • Alibaba Cloud and Nvidia collaborate on an AI initiative to enhance autonomous driving for Chinese automakers.

  • Integration of Alibaba Cloud's large AI models with Nvidia's Drive AGX Orin platform for autonomous vehicles.

  • Advanced capabilities of Qwen large language models enable dynamic conversations for in-car voice assistants.


Source: SCMP

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