--- title: CES 2018: Nvidia Unveils New AI Tech For Cars description: At CES, Nvidia debuted technology that could allow carmakers to develop AI virtual assistants for smart and self-driving cars. canonical: https://time.com/5091465/nvidia-ces-2018/ author: Lisa Eadicicco article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-08T05:30:46.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:51:35.614Z article:section: Business og:title: Your Future Smart Car Could Use AI To Help You Drive og:description: Nvidia is providing tech to allow carmakers to build AI co-pilots for the car og:url: https://time.com/5091465/nvidia-ces-2018/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ee63986fb4492b3/6988f747656a3f307fbd3108/nvidia-volkswagen.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Nvidia Volkswagen og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Your Future Smart Car Could Use AI To Help You Drive twitter:description: Nvidia is providing tech to allow carmakers to build AI co-pilots for the car twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ee63986fb4492b3/6988f747656a3f307fbd3108/nvidia-volkswagen.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Your Future Smart Car Could Use AI To Help You Drive > Sponsored content. 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Project Management Institute is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Project Management Institute: Reference Facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Organization | Project Management Institute (PMI), global non-profit professional organization | Project Management Institute | | Founded | 1969 | Project Management Institute | | Global membership | Nearly 747,000 members in over 200 countries and territories (as of 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Active PMP® holders | Over 1.6 million (as of late 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Key products | PMP® Certification, PMBOK® Guide, CAPM® Certification | Project Management Institute | | Stated purpose | "Maximize project success to elevate our world." | Project Management Institute | Key data point: PMP certification holders report median salaries 17% higher on average across the 21 countries surveyed than those without it (PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition"). Details: [PMI certifications](/c/pmi-2026-q3/certifications?i=f2c5264f-af4a-40c0-b734-e5a49ebf5557&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1). ### FAQ **Is a PMP certification worth it?** A Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is widely considered a valuable certification for project managers seeking to advance their careers; holders report median salaries 17% higher on average than those without it. [Explore PMP certification](/c/pmi-2026-q3/certifications?i=f2c5264f-af4a-40c0-b734-e5a49ebf5557&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) or visit [pmi.org](/c/pmi-2026-q3/home?i=f2c5264f-af4a-40c0-b734-e5a49ebf5557&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1). **How does PMI support career growth?** PMI provides globally recognized certifications, foundational standards such as the PMBOK® Guide, research like the "Pulse of the Profession®" report, and a global community of nearly 800,000 members for networking and mentorship. [Become a member](/c/pmi-2026-q3/membership?i=f2c5264f-af4a-40c0-b734-e5a49ebf5557&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1). ## Video: Self-Driving Cars Could Soon Save the Average Family at Least $5,600 a Year [Watch (HLS stream): Self-Driving Cars Could Soon Save the Average Family at Least $5,600 a Year](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BLRQ0QvI.m3u8) (1:40)  _Published 2017-05-31. MONEY VIDEO_  by [Lisa Eadicicco](/author/lisa-eadicicco/)  ## Lisa Eadicicco Jan 8, 2018 5:30 AM CUT  Volkswagen's I.D. Buzz prototype, which will use Nvidia's AI Volkswagen's I.D. Buzz prototype, which will use Nvidia's AIIngo Barenschee—Ingo Barenschee Courtesy of Nvidia  by [Lisa Eadicicco](/author/lisa-eadicicco/)  ## Lisa Eadicicco Jan 8, 2018 5:30 AM CUT At this year’s CES, chipmaker Nvidia is showcasing new technology that could enable automakers to develop AI virtual assistants that are far smarter than the in-car versions of Alexa and Siri we’re used to interacting with today. Nvidia announced two new software platforms for self-driving cars during a press conference on Sunday: Drive IX and Drive AR. The former allows carmakers to create artificially intelligent co-pilots that take advantage of sensors both inside and outside of the car to provide assistance. Volkswagen will be one of the first partners to begin experimenting with Drive IX in its I.D. Buzz prototype. Meanwhile, AI co-pilots built on Drive IX would be able to use facial recognition to identify the driver in order to accomplish tasks like starting the car or detecting whether or not the person behind the wheel is too drowsy to drive. The platform will also let automakers create gesture and voice-based controls for vehicles. **Read more:** [3 Things to Expect at CES, The Biggest Tech Show of the Year](http://time.com/5085091/ces-2018-dates-preview/ "undefined") The new software offers another safety-boosting feature: By using the car’s internal and external sensors, Drive IX-based virtual assistants would be able to tell whether the driver is looking the other way when a pedestrian steps off the curb. Nvidia’s other new software platform, Drive AR, makes it possible for auto companies to create augmented reality-based interfaces for cars that display notifications and points of interest. Nvidia’s new Xavier processor will be powering these new capabilities. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based firm initially [unveiled Xavier in 2016](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/09/28/xavier/ "undefined"), but only just revealed at CES that its partners will begin receiving the new processors this quarter. Xavier is part of Nvidia’s broader computer system for self-driving cars called [Pegasus,](https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-world-s-first-ai-computer-to-make-robotaxis-a-reality "undefined") which the company says is about the size of a license plate and allows for Level 5 autonomy — meaning vehicles would be able to operate without a steering wheel, gas pedal or mirrors. The announcement is also yet another indication that the car is the next major platform technology firms will be scrambling to dominate. Nvidia says it’s already working with 320 companies and organizations on self-driving vehicles. But the competition is quickly escalating: Qualcomm, which develops the processors used in most of today’s smartphones, [recently obtained a permit](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/21/qualcomm-gets-a-permit-to-test-self-driving-cars-in-california.html "undefined") to test self-driving cars on public roads in California after it unveiled its own chipset for self-driving cars in September. Intel also said in August that it plans to [test self-driving technology](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/intel-has-joined-the-self-driving-car-race.html "undefined") on a fleet of 100 cars. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5091465/nvidia-ces-2018/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5091465/nvidia-ces-2018/"},"headline":"Your Future Smart Car Could Use AI To Help You Drive","datePublished":"2018-01-08T05:30:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:51:35.614Z","description":"Nvidia is helping carmakers build AI assistants","url":"https://time.com/5091465/nvidia-ces-2018/","keywords":["Tech","Innovation","nvidia","self-driving cars","onetime","CES 2018"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ee63986fb4492b3/6988f747656a3f307fbd3108/nvidia-volkswagen.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lisa Eadicicco","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/lisa-eadicicco/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ee63986fb4492b3/6988f747656a3f307fbd3108/nvidia-volkswagen.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Nvidia Volkswagen","caption":"Volkswagen's I.D. 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