Volvo Cars and Autoliv are teaming up with NVIDIA to develop systems and software for AI self-driving cars, the companies announced today.

The three companies will work together along with Zenuity -- a newly formed automotive software development joint venture equally owned by Volvo Cars and Autoliv -- to develop self-driving car technologies. Production vehicles built on the NVIDIA DRIVE PX car computing platform are planned for sale by 2021.

Volvo, Autoliv, Zenuity and NVIDIA will work together to create systems that can utilize deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to recognize objects in their environment, anticipate potential threats and navigate safely.

The NVIDIA DRIVE PX system enables full 360-degree, real-time situational awareness and uses a known high-definition map to plan a safe route and drive precisely along it, adjusting to ever-changing circumstances. The system also performs other critical functions, such as stitching camera inputs to create a complete surround-view of the car's environment.

Zenuity will provide Volvo with self-driving software. Autoliv will also sell this software to third-party OEMs using its established and broad sales, marketing and distribution network.

The core libraries were built with transfers to new hardware in mind, and enable simple transplants to hardware such as smartphones and IoT devices.

Partnership with ZF and HELLA

NVIDIA also today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with ZF and HELLA to deliver AI technology with the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety certification for the mass deployment of self-driving vehicles.

The agreement is non-exclusive.

ZF, one of the industry's largest automotive suppliers, and HELLA, a supplier of camera perception software and sensor technologies, will provide a complete self-driving system that integrates front camera units, as well as supporting software functions and radar systems.

NVIDIA DRIVE PX will enable ZF and HELLA to develop software for scalable systems starting from modern driver assistance systems that connect their advanced imaging and radar sensor technologies for autonomous driving functionality.