The automotive mega-concern Stellantis has decided to change tactics in the race for autonomous driving, betting everything on artificial intelligence. Instead of continuing to invest billions in its own and obviously failing developments, the giant has entered into a strategic alliance with the British technology company Wayve. The fruit of this partnership is the promising level 2++ system, based on the Wayve AI Driver software and the modified STLA AutoDrive architecture. The promise is for "natural" and intuitive driving on highways and in the urban jungle, in which the driver's hands rest, but his eyes remain alert.
This move looks like a lifeline for Stellantis' autonomous ambitions. We recall that at the beginning of last year the company loudly announced its STLA AutoDrive system as a level 3 technology, ready for mass production. But then came a sudden pull on the handbrake – the market proved too uncertain, regulations too tight, and industry rumors persisted that Stellantis would freeze its expensive program. Now it’s clear that the project isn’t dead, but simply getting an external digital "brain".
The British startup Wayve, founded in 2017, quickly became an industry darling thanks to its revolutionary approach. Their neural network learns on the fly from real-world driving situations and doesn’t rely on expensive and complex HD maps or a strictly defined set of sensors. It is this flexibility that allows artificial intelligence to adapt to any car and latitude in a flash, imitating the behavior of a real person behind the wheel.
That things are serious is proven by the fact that engineers have already managed to implement AI Driver in a test Jeep Grand Cherokee in less than two months. Externally, the prototype does not differ in anything from the standard SUV, except for discreet additional cameras around the windshield and mirrors.
The plan is for the first production models with this technology to debut in North America in 2028. Stellantis' main weapon here will be scale - the new platform will become a universal standard for the entire huge portfolio of the concern, being built into everything from American Jeep and Dodge cars to European bestsellers from Peugeot, Opel and Alfa Romeo. Chief Technology Officer Ned Couric and Wayve CEO Alex Kendall are adamant that this alliance will make autonomous driving accessible and widespread, regardless of country or road type.