General Motors has partnered with Nvidia to integrate artificial intelligence into various aspects of its business, including manufacturing, robotics, and self-driving cars, as part of an expanded collaboration.

Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, announced the partnership during his keynote speech at the company’s GTC conference in San Jose, stating that the time has arrived for autonomous vehicles. He expressed enthusiasm about building AI solutions with GM in three key areas: manufacturing, enterprise, and in-vehicle systems.

“We’re excited to collaborate with GM on AI initiatives across manufacturing, enterprise, and in-vehicle applications,” Huang said. “Our goal is to revolutionize the way they manufacture, work, and design cars, as well as enhance the driving experience.”

The partnership involves Nvidia providing AI infrastructure, including GPUs, to GM, as well as assisting the automaker in developing its own AI capabilities, according to Huang. Nvidia has a long history of collaborating with the automotive and autonomous vehicle industry, supplying GPUs to companies like Tesla, Wayve, and Waymo for use in data centers or vehicles.

Nvidia has also developed an autonomous vehicle platform, which includes an operating system called DriveOS, providing real-time AI processing and integration of advanced driving and cockpit features. Earlier this year, Toyota announced plans to equip its next-generation vehicles with automated driving capabilities powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Orin supercomputer and DriveOS operating system.

“We work closely with the automotive industry, providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed,” Huang said during the keynote. “We build and provide the necessary computers, software, and algorithms to enable the development of autonomous vehicles and other applications.”

GM plans to work with Nvidia to develop custom AI systems using several of the tech giant’s products, although the financial details of the deal have not been disclosed. The collaboration will enable GM to enhance its manufacturing capabilities, improve factory design, and develop advanced driver-assistance systems.

GM will utilize Nvidia’s Omniverse with Cosmos to train AI models for manufacturing and improve its factory operations. This will involve creating a digital twin of its factories and assembly lines to test new production processes virtually without disrupting existing vehicle production. The effort will also include training robotics platforms for tasks such as material handling, transport, and precision welding.

Additionally, GM will use Nvidia’s Drive AGX for its in-vehicle hardware to develop future advanced driver-assistance systems and enhanced safety features. The automaker recently shifted its focus from commercial robotaxi development to hands-off advanced driver assistance systems, known as Super Cruise, and is working to develop fully autonomous personal vehicles.

GM’s partnership with Nvidia is not new, as the automaker has previously used Nvidia’s GPUs to train AI models for simulation and validation. The expanded deal now includes using Nvidia’s AI products to improve automotive plant design and operations, marking a significant step forward in their collaboration.