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Nissan Taps $1.3B-Backed AI Pioneer Wayve To Supercharge ProPilot System, Ushering A New Era Of Human-Like Driving

Nissan Motor is making bold moves in the world of autonomous driving. The automaker announced it is partnering with London-based AI startup Wayve Technologies to power the next generation of its ProPilot driver-assist system, set to debut in vehicles by the 2027 fiscal year. 

This partnership marks the first time a global carmaker plans to embed Wayve's advanced AI directly into production vehicles. Wayve, backed by a staggering $1.3 billion in funding led by SoftBank, has scrambled into the ranks of serious players in the autonomous vehicle space. Other major investors include Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Uber (NYSE:UBER).

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Nissan’s Bold Step Toward Human-Like AI Driving

Launched with a mission to bring "embodied intelligence" to mobility, Wayve's AI is built to navigate the complexities of real-world driving environments in a dynamic, human-like manner. Traditional autonomous systems are heavily dependent on high-definition maps and a suite of sensors, but Wayve applies camera-based learning to adjust to dynamic environments.

Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall shared the company's vision, telling EVMagazine.com, “At Wayve, our vision is to develop autonomous technology that not only becomes a reality in millions of vehicles but also earns people's trust by seamlessly integrating into their everyday lives to unlock extraordinary value.”

Wayve's technology has already seen a fair amount of test effort. The startup's AI software has been put through its paces using Ford Mustang Mach-E and Jaguar I-Pace electric sport utility vehicles throughout the UK, the U.S., and Germany. Partnering with Uber, Wayve is also working on an eventual rollout of fully autonomous vehicles through the ride-hailing giant's platform.

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From Hands-On To Hands-Free

Nissan debuted its ProPilot system way back in 2016, which provided hands-on lane centering and distance-keeping assistance. In 2019, the company upgraded to a second-generation system, enabling limited hands-free driving on highways. Now, the collaboration with Wayve promises a massive leap forward in how vehicles interact with their environment.

The next-gen ProPilot system will be built around an adaptive AI developed by Wayve and will aim to provide drivers with a more intuitive, human-like experience behind the wheel. The new technology, which focuses on learning in a dynamic rather than static way, aims to provide greater adaptability in all kinds of real-world and unpredictable driving scenarios.

Wayve's approach is also distinct compared with many other players in the autonomous sector. Instead of locking into exclusive contracts with a single manufacturer, the flexible partnership model Wayve implemented allows it to operate across the automotive industry as a whole. This way, the company has positioned itself as a leader in scalable AI solutions for new electric vehicles and things beyond.

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How Nissan And Wayve Are Shaping The Next Era Of Driving

Nissan's collaboration with Wayve signals an increasingly self-assured embrace of AI-driven, human-like-patterned autonomy behind the wheel. This is a concept that might reinvent the whole electric vehicle landscape on the eight- to 10-year horizon.

With the race toward full autonomy heating up, Nissan's decision to adopt Wayve's technology in its production vehicles has put the company on the frontline of a mobility revolution. With the support of some major investors and an established plan for flexible, human-like autonomy, Wayve is already on track to redefine the way the world drives.

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