Chipmaker Nvidia Launches New System for Autonomous Driving

The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen during the annual Computex computer exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2017. (Reuters)
The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen during the annual Computex computer exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2017. (Reuters)
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Chipmaker Nvidia Launches New System for Autonomous Driving

The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen during the annual Computex computer exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2017. (Reuters)
The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen during the annual Computex computer exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2017. (Reuters)

Chip giant Nvidia Corp on Tuesday unveiled its new computing platform called DRIVE Thor that would centralize autonomous and assisted driving as well as other digital functions including in-car entertainment.

Nvidia, a big player in the gaming chip and artificial intelligence (AI) market, has been making a big push in the automotive business, a key growth segment for the company.

Danny Shapiro, head of Nvidia's automotive business, said DRIVE Thor would be able to replace numerous chips and cables in the car and bring down the overall system cost, although he did not give specific numbers on savings.

"You can imagine a tremendous savings in terms of cost, in terms of reduced cabling, in terms of reduced weight, in terms of reduced energy consumption overall," Shapiro said during a briefing session.

Some automakers have begun work on designing their own chips to gain more control and cut costs.

General Motor's autonomous driving unit Cruise last week said it had developed its own chips to be deployed by 2025. It currently uses Nvidia chips.

The first customer Nvidia announced for DRIVE Thor is China's Geely-owned ZEEKR.

Shapiro said its current computer system called DRIVE Orin will be used in Chinese car company XPeng's new smart SUV and Chinese autonomous driving startup QCraft.

But this comes amid worries about whether Chinese customers would be able to continue to access Nvidia technology with a recent US ban on exports of two top Nvidia computing chips for data centers to China.

"There's a lot of companies doing great work, doing things that will benefit mankind and we want to support them," Shapiro said.

"In the cases where we do have product for the data center that has some export restrictions, we're working with those Chinese customers to come up with a suitable alternative product," he added.



Grand Mosque's Mobile Stroke Unit Saves Life of Ugandan Hajj Pilgrim

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
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Grand Mosque's Mobile Stroke Unit Saves Life of Ugandan Hajj Pilgrim

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) stationed at the Grand Mosque, affiliated with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage.

The pilgrim lost consciousness within the Grand Mosque due to the hemorrhage, prompting an immediate response from the specialized unit, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

Upon diagnosis at the scene, immediate treatment was initiated before the pilgrim was transferred to King Abdulaziz Hospital, a Makkah Health Cluster member, for further comprehensive medical care.

The MSU, unique in the Middle East, is fully equipped with a specialized medical team including a neurologist, cardiologist, respiratory therapist, emergency nurse, radiologist, and paramedic, along with a CT scanner. This advanced capability significantly enhances the efficiency of on-site diagnosis and treatment.

The Ugandan pilgrim received critical treatment within an impressive 16 minutes, one-sixth of the internationally accepted standard time of 60 minutes for such cases. His condition has since improved, and he is now undergoing medical rehabilitation to complete his Hajj rituals.

This rapid and efficient response exemplifies Saudi Arabia's integrated healthcare system, which aims to boost service quality and accessibility with the highest efficiency.

Such efforts align directly with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program and the Pilgrim Experience Program, key pillars of Saudi Vision 2030, focused on providing advanced healthcare and ensuring pilgrims perform their rituals safely.