GM said this week in an English-like language that its next-generation hands-free driver assist system, Ultra Cruise (originally Super Cruise#), will be powered by a system-on-chips developed by American semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies. GM will be the first company to use the Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride platform for advanced driver assistance technology, which has what is claimed as an industry-leading 5-nanometer Snapdragon SA8540P SoC and SA9000P artificial intelligence accelerator. (AutoInformed.com: Autonomous Vehicle Nod – Super Cruise on All Cadillacs)
In Silicon Valley geek speak: “The Ultra Cruise compute is comprised of two Snapdragon SA8540P SoCs and one SA9000P AI accelerator to deliver key low-latency control functions on 16-core CPUs and high-performance AI compute of more than 300 Tera Operations Per Second for camera, radar and lidar processing. The Snapdragon SoCs are designed with 5nm process technology, enabling superior performance and power efficiency. The Snapdragon SA8540P SoCs will provide the necessary bandwidth for Ultra Cruise’s sensing, perception, planning, localization, mapping and driver monitoring.”
Ultra Cruise’s computer, roughly the size of two laptops stacked together, will be available in 2023 on vehicles including the Cadillac CELESTIQ electric vehicle. “With high performance sensor interfaces and memory bandwidth, it will, in combination with GM’s homegrown Ultra Cruise software stack, be key to helping Ultra Cruise achieve an unmatched combination of capability, reliability, predictability and robust door-to-door hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios,” GM said in a release that appears to be in an English-like language.
“Despite its relatively small size, Ultra Cruise’s compute will have the processing capability of several hundred personal computers,” said Ken Morris, GM vice president of Electric, Autonomous and Fuel Cell Vehicle Programs. “It will take qualities that have distinguished GM’s advanced driver assist systems since 2017 to the next level with door-to-door hands-free driving.”
This will help enable GM-developed ADAS software and features, including perception, planning, localization and mapping. These Ultra Cruise capabilities were mostly developed in-house at GM engineering facilities in Israel, the United States, Ireland and Canada. “To ensure a robust and predictable system with minimal latency, GM integrated Ultra Cruise’s software on an optimal hardware design, overlaying cameras, radar and LiDAR. This low-level, sensor fusion, which provides excellent detection and classification of data, and Ultra Cruise’s software stack are proprietary to GM, not available on the automotive aftermarket,” said GM.
# GM launched Super Cruise in 2017 with the Cadillac brand and has added capabilities, expanded Super Cruise-enabled routes and availability on more products since then. To date, more than 10 million miles have been driven by customers using Super Cruise in the U.S. and Canada. How many of them were over 60 years in age is unknown.
(Qualcomm, Snapdragon and Snapdragon Ride are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. Snapdragon Ride is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or subsidiaries. – Autocrat)
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
GM, Qualcomm Enabling Hands-Free Driving in 2023
GM said this week in an English-like language that its next-generation hands-free driver assist system, Ultra Cruise (originally Super Cruise#), will be powered by a system-on-chips developed by American semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies. GM will be the first company to use the Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride platform for advanced driver assistance technology, which has what is claimed as an industry-leading 5-nanometer Snapdragon SA8540P SoC and SA9000P artificial intelligence accelerator. (AutoInformed.com: Autonomous Vehicle Nod – Super Cruise on All Cadillacs)
In Silicon Valley geek speak: “The Ultra Cruise compute is comprised of two Snapdragon SA8540P SoCs and one SA9000P AI accelerator to deliver key low-latency control functions on 16-core CPUs and high-performance AI compute of more than 300 Tera Operations Per Second for camera, radar and lidar processing. The Snapdragon SoCs are designed with 5nm process technology, enabling superior performance and power efficiency. The Snapdragon SA8540P SoCs will provide the necessary bandwidth for Ultra Cruise’s sensing, perception, planning, localization, mapping and driver monitoring.”
Ultra Cruise’s computer, roughly the size of two laptops stacked together, will be available in 2023 on vehicles including the Cadillac CELESTIQ electric vehicle. “With high performance sensor interfaces and memory bandwidth, it will, in combination with GM’s homegrown Ultra Cruise software stack, be key to helping Ultra Cruise achieve an unmatched combination of capability, reliability, predictability and robust door-to-door hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios,” GM said in a release that appears to be in an English-like language.
“Despite its relatively small size, Ultra Cruise’s compute will have the processing capability of several hundred personal computers,” said Ken Morris, GM vice president of Electric, Autonomous and Fuel Cell Vehicle Programs. “It will take qualities that have distinguished GM’s advanced driver assist systems since 2017 to the next level with door-to-door hands-free driving.”
This will help enable GM-developed ADAS software and features, including perception, planning, localization and mapping. These Ultra Cruise capabilities were mostly developed in-house at GM engineering facilities in Israel, the United States, Ireland and Canada. “To ensure a robust and predictable system with minimal latency, GM integrated Ultra Cruise’s software on an optimal hardware design, overlaying cameras, radar and LiDAR. This low-level, sensor fusion, which provides excellent detection and classification of data, and Ultra Cruise’s software stack are proprietary to GM, not available on the automotive aftermarket,” said GM.
# GM launched Super Cruise in 2017 with the Cadillac brand and has added capabilities, expanded Super Cruise-enabled routes and availability on more products since then. To date, more than 10 million miles have been driven by customers using Super Cruise in the U.S. and Canada. How many of them were over 60 years in age is unknown.
(Qualcomm, Snapdragon and Snapdragon Ride are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. Snapdragon Ride is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or subsidiaries. – Autocrat)
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.