Waymo Unveils 5-Nanometer Chip and Dual Compute Backup for Robotaxis

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Waymo said its newest driverless vehicles run two independent onboard computers in parallel, allowing one to take over instantly if the other fails and, if needed, bring the car to a safe stop.
13 cameras plus lidar and radar feed that system, with all driving decisions made inside the vehicle rather than in the cloud; Waymo says raw computing power has risen about 20-fold in eight years.
A custom 5-nanometer ASIC processes sensor data and delivers more than 1,000 TOPS of machine-learning performance, helping the vehicle interpret high-resolution camera, lidar and radar inputs with less delay.
Backup layers extend beyond computing: Waymo disclosed redundant braking, steering, controllers and separate power supplies, while remote staff can provide information but do not drive the car.
The disclosure targets safety concerns as Waymo expands its fleet, though redundancy does not solve software judgment errors; the company recently recalled 3,871 vehicles and says its safety analysis covers 220 million autonomous miles.