Self-driving tech startup Wayve raises $1.8B from Nvidia, Uber, and three automakers | TechCrunch

"I think the technology chessboard is set around where different companies have invested on the technology strategy, and now the commercial chessboard is being arranged. We took a very contrarian view on the technology side. We were the first to build end-to-end deep learning for autonomous driving, and we pioneered this approach. Now, when it comes to this phase of moving into commercialization, we're also taking a contrarian business model approach."

"Wayve, which launched in 2017, uses a self-learning approach to its software. The company developed a software layer using an end-to-end neural network that doesn't require high-definition maps and only uses data to teach the vehicle how to drive. This data-driven learning approach is used for two products: an 'eyes on' assisted-driving system and an 'eyes off' fully automated-driving system that could be applied to robotaxis or consumer vehicles."

"The company's pitch to customers is the agnostic nature of its technology, which is not reliant on specific sensors or maps. The automated-driving software captures data from whatever sensors are on the vehicle and dir"

Wayve, a U.K. autonomous driving startup founded in 2017, secured $1.2 billion in funding at an $8.6 billion valuation, attracting diverse investors including three automakers, venture firms, and returning backers Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber. The company employs a contrarian approach using end-to-end deep learning and self-learning software that operates without high-definition maps, relying instead on vehicle sensor data to teach driving capabilities. Wayve offers two products: an assisted-driving system and a fully autonomous system applicable to robotaxis or consumer vehicles. The technology's agnostic nature makes it independent of specific sensors or maps, capturing data from whatever sensors vehicles possess. This funding round reflects significant industry momentum as major technology companies, legacy automakers, and investors compete for positions in the expanding automated driving market.

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