In a significant development in the autonomous driving landscape, Nissan has announced a partnership with UK-based startup Wayve to integrate its self-driving software into the Japanese automaker's advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), ProPilot. The deal, set to take effect in 2027, marks a major milestone for Wayve, which has raised over $1.3 billion from investors like Nvidia, Microsoft, SoftBank Group, and Uber.

The partnership will see Wayve's software, which uses a self-learning approach similar to Tesla's, integrated into Nissan's ProPilot system, along with sensors, including lidar from an undisclosed supplier. The resulting system is expected to set a "new standard for autonomous driving with advanced collision avoidance capability," according to Nissan.

The ProPilot system, which will be a Level 2 system operating under driver supervision, will be capable of automating multiple driving tasks, such as steering and braking, but will still require a driver to maintain control at all times. While Nissan did not disclose which models the system would be available in, the partnership is expected to have significant implications for the automotive industry.

Wayve's self-learning approach, which is seen as particularly appealing to automakers, is not reliant on specific sensors or HD maps, making it a flexible and cost-effective solution. The automated driving software captures data from existing sensors like cameras and radar, which directly informs the driving decisions of the system. This approach also allows the software to run on whatever GPU its OEM partners already have in their vehicles.

The partnership is a significant validation of Wayve's technology, which has garnered attention and investors for its end-to-end data-driven learning approach. Unlike Tesla, Wayve plans to sell its "Embodied AI" to automakers and other tech companies, making it a key player in the autonomous driving ecosystem.

Nissan spokesperson Shiro Nagai noted that Wayve's Embodied AI foundation model, a large-scale end-to-end AI trained on vast amounts of real-world driving data, allows the software to adapt across different environments and vehicle platforms. "Leveraging Nissan's technology and Wayve's AI, we are confident it will allow future Nissan vehicles to closely replicate the judgment and actions of a careful and competent human driver in complex driving scenarios," Nagai said.

The partnership is expected to have significant implications for the automotive industry, as it marks a major step towards the widespread adoption of autonomous driving technology. With Wayve's software set to be integrated into Nissan's ProPilot system, the industry can expect to see a new standard for autonomous driving capabilities in the coming years.

As the autonomous driving landscape continues to evolve, partnerships like the one between Nissan and Wayve are likely to play a key role in shaping the future of transportation. With its self-learning approach and flexible architecture, Wayve's technology is well-positioned to become a key player in the industry, and its partnership with Nissan is a significant step towards achieving that goal.