Nvidia is considering a $500 million investment in Wayve, a UK-based self-driving car start-up, to advance AI-driven autonomous driving software. This investment could value Wayve at over $4 billion. The two companies have signed a letter of intent ahead of Wayve's upcoming funding round. Wayve's robot platforms have been using Nvidia technology since 2018. Nvidia also participated in Wayve's $1.05 billion Series C funding round in May 2024.
Wayve is developing AI-powered systems to help vehicles interpret surroundings and navigate without human input. Wayve's third-generation autonomous system leverages Nvidia's DRIVE AGX Thor computing platform. The company's technology learns from traffic patterns and driver behaviour, offering a flexible alternative to rivals that depend on extensive mapping and lidar sensors. The proposed $500 million would fuel Wayve's international growth, potentially positioning the start-up as a key player in delivering Level 4 autonomy.
Nvidia's investment in Wayve underscores its push to deepen its footprint in artificial intelligence applications for vehicles. The sustained partnership positions both companies at the forefront of the competitive autonomous driving sector.