Volvo Vehicles will use a single software program system backed by highly effective chips from Nvidia for all future fashions and can depend on “megacastings” to chop prices for electrical automobiles, the corporate mentioned on Thursday.
In releases forward of a deliberate investor occasion in Gothenburg, Volvo mentioned that beginning with its flagship electrical EX90 mannequin – which the Swedish automaker will start delivering to prospects this month – it would have a single “expertise stack” for all automobile fashions.
The EX90’s software program system is backed by Nvidia’s DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip, which is able to over 250 trillion operations per second (TOPS) and can be changed later this decade by a chip able to 1,000 trillion TOPS, Volvo mentioned.
That software program will assist Volvo construct higher security techniques for its automobiles and always enhance automobiles in circulation by way of over-the-air updates, Chief Engineering & Expertise Officer Anders Bell informed Reuters.
Most main automakers say software-defined electrical automobiles (EVs) will present alternatives to generate billions of {dollars} in further income from promoting subscription providers, however Bell mentioned Volvo is not going to pursue that enterprise mannequin.
“The first aim is to make the automobile higher and have a extra sticky product, to not promote lots of subscriptions,” he mentioned.
Bell mentioned Volvo will depend on “megacastings”, which like gigacasting use huge presses to make giant single aluminium items of car underbodies.
Utilizing these giant single items lowers prices as they substitute many particular person items that must be welded collectively.
Tesla has been a pioneer in using gigacasting, with a rising variety of automakers together with Normal Motors and Nissan following swimsuit.
Bell mentioned that by way of using megacasting, Volvo may even be capable of significantly improve using recycled aluminium and scale back emissions all through its provide chain.
