Autotech startup Nullmax, led by a former Tesla engineer, has just launched a new technology to combat autonomous driving challenges in China in “more human-like” ways.
Nullmax introduces autonomous driving tech in China
Nullmax formally introduced its next-gen autonomous driving technology, “Nullmax Intelligence,” at an event at its R&D center in Shanghai on Tuesday, Technode reports, citing CEO Xu Lei’s speech.
The autonomous driving startup claims its new technology can enable cars to autonomously navigate with a more human-like understanding of the environment even without high-precision maps and lidar.
Nullmax Intelligence primarily employs a camera for visual perception but also taps on complementary data like voice, text, and gestures. This approach enables the technology to figure out complex tasks on its own, utilizing an end-to-end model that generates images, depicts the scene, and decides how to drive.
Nullmax’s “pure vision” and “end-to-end” approach
Nullmax CEO Xu Lei recently told the media that the company employs a “pure vision” and “end-to-end” strategy for its autonomous driving efforts, which Tesla has been doing.
For context, this approach involves deep neural networks, using just cameras to perform autonomous driving functions.
Nullmax Intelligence-equipped car could reportedly complete the highway on-ramp to off-ramp maneuver and drive through a construction zone in urban areas using 7-11 cameras and an innovative computing platform. Nullmax asserted that this computing platform can support about 100 trillion operations per second (or TOPS).
More remarkably, Nullmax declared that the technology will cost as little as “several thousand RMB.”
Nullmax also developed a data and algorithm platform for data training to aid the expansion of Nullmax Intelligence’s capabilities.
About Nullmax
Nullmax, established in Silicon Valley in 2016, is a controlling business unit of Shenzhen-listed Shanghai Stonehill Technology Co Ltd.
Stonehill currently controls 39.20% of the company’s equity and 50.20% of voting rights, an exchange announcementrevealed.
Before establishing Nullmax, founders Xu Lei and Song Xinyu both worked at the Musk-led company to develop Autopilot 1.0 and 2.0.
That said, it is unsurprising that Nullmax decided to develop smart driving systems that focus on visual perception, similar to Tesla.
Nullmax CEO Xu Lei expects several cars using Nullmax Intelligence to hit the market by 2025. The startup also seeks to expand its AI technologies into freight transportation and robotics.
