Nvidia Joins $1.05B Wayve Funding, Advances Automated Driving

Shivani Kumaresan

May 07, 2024

U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) has joined as a new investor in a $1.05 billion funding round for Wayve Technologies Ltd., a U.K. startup focused on advancing autonomous-driving technology.

The investment round, led by SoftBank Group Corp. (OTC:SFTBY) and including contributions from existing investor Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT), highlights the ongoing interest in AI and bolsters the self-driving car sector, which has faced regulatory challenges.

Wayve aims to integrate its embodied intelligence technology into vehicles of various carmakers and fleet operators rather than owning or operating the cars directly, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Embodied AI integrates advanced AI into vehicles and robots to transform how machines interact with, comprehend, and learn from human behavior in real-world environments, helping in greater usability and safety in autonomous driving systems.

CEO Alex Kendall plans to initially focus on driver-assist technology before advancing to fully autonomous vehicles, the report mentioned.

Talking about the company’s approach, Kendall emphasized Wayve’s goal of creating technology that learns driving rules independently, distinguishing it from competitors like Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Waymo.

Despite enthusiasm for autonomous driving, the sector has faced challenges. General Motors Co.’s (NYSE:GM) self-driving unit, Cruise, encountered setbacks, including an accident in San Francisco.

Similarly, Argo AI and Uber Technologies Inc.(NYSE:UBER) faced obstacles in their autonomous driving endeavors.

Wayve plans to utilize the raised funds to expand its team and computing capabilities. With previous investments totaling over $258 million, the startup aims to capitalize on commercial deals to achieve profitability.

According to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the funding signifies the U.K.’s prowess in AI, which the report mentioned.

The company’s growth strategy includes the establishment of a research center in Vancouver, supplementing its existing locations in London and Mountain View, California.

Read Next: Microsoft Takes On Google And OpenAI With New AI Model: Report

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo via Shutterstock

Recommended

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1) - Ad

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line - Ad

HONG KONG (AP) — Alice Zhang, a 29-year-old marketer in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, has spent only roughly half what she did last year during the festival, switching to cheaper choices and giving up on buying new shoes after pay was cut by more than 20%.

Space forecasters say severe solar storms could hit Earth and trigger auroras

NEW YORK (AP) — Space weather forecasters issued an alert on Tuesday for incoming severe that could produce and temporarily disrupt communications.

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins...

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins... - Ad

A quiet shift in U.S. law has just authorized private companies to mint a new form of government-authorized money called the "Dollar 2.0"... and the next major mint hits on December 18. Investors who make the right moves before then could make up to 40X by 2032...

Indigenous groups get the spotlight at UN climate talks, but some say visibility isn't power

BELEM, Brazil (AP) — Indigenous people are used to adapting, so when the power failed at their kickoff event at this year's , they rolled with it. Participants from around the world sweated through song, dance and prayers, improvising without microphones and cooling themselves with fans made of paper or leaves.

Pete Hegseth Denies Ordering 'Kill Everybody' Strikes As Senate Launches Investigation Into Controversial Caribbean Military Operations

Pete Hegseth denies reports of ordering killings on Caribbean boats, as lawmakers investigate legality of strikes targeting narco-terrorists.

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account?

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account? - Ad

A former hedge fund manager is now sharing his "Skim Codes" with regular people. They're not stocks. They're not crypto. They're 18-character codes designed to profit from recent market conditions. All you have to do is punch them into an ordinary brokerage account. 84% of these codes have given people the chance to generate cash payouts so far... and his next code is going out any day now.

The Key to a Winning 401(k)

: when to start, how much to save, and where to invest. The investing decision has drawn more attention as government regulators work to open 401(k) plans to alternative assets such as .

US Senate Discloses Landmark Crypto Market Structure Bill, Eyes Passage By Late 2025

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is holding steady near $105,000 as markets digest the Senate's long-awaited crypto market structure bill draft, a major milestone toward regulatory clarity

If You Hold Any Dollars in Your Bank Account, Read This...

If You Hold Any Dollars in Your Bank Account, Read This... - Ad

Strange events are unfolding in the global financial system. A monetary reset dubbed the "Mar-a-Lago Accord" is quietly in motion, and the financial elite are already taking protective action. If history is any guide, you could lose up to 40% of your wealth in the next two years. Move your money before it's too late.

Kevin O'Leary Slams Trump's $2,000 Tariff Rebate Checks: 'Everyone Loves The Idea Of A Free Check'

Investor Kevin O'Leary calls Trump's tariff rebate checks out on X, saying it is a "quick band-aid" in a tough economy.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Buys Blue Chip Stock Near 52-Week Low

Marjorie Taylor Greene is known for buying multiple stocks at a time, based on recent disclosures. A new filing shows one stock bought in November.

Elon's $25 Trillion Confession

Elon's $25 Trillion Confession - Ad

Elon Musk: "Tesla will become a $25 trillion company." That would make Tesla 8x bigger than Apple today. How is that possible? He admits it's all thanks to this one AI breakthrough that will take AI out of our computer screens and manifest a 250x boom here in the real world.

Shutdown to leave mark on US economy from lost paychecks, canceled flights

WASHINGTON (AP) — The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be nearing an end, but not without leaving a mark on an already-struggling economy.

Japan's SoftBank says it has sold its shares in Nvidia for $5.8 billion

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. said Tuesday that it has sold all the Nvidia Corp. shares that it owned for $5.83 billion, while it reported higher than expected profit in the first half of this fiscal year.

[Revealed] Trump's Next AI Executive Orders?

[Revealed] Trump's Next AI Executive Orders? - Ad

A White House insider with direct ties to Trump's inner circle just revealed what he calls "Manhattan II" - a potential $2.2 trillion AI initiative. He says this could mirror past U.S. projects that minted fortunes - with small firms soaring 5,000% to 10,000% over two decades. And now he's giving away his #1 stock pick for free before the deadline.

Gen Z Takes To 'Income Stacking' As One Pay Check Falls Short

Gen Zers are turning to income stacking to secure their financial future as they fear a single paycheck won't be enough. AI and broken social contract fuel the shift. Side hustles becoming core of young careers.

Dogecoin Fakes A Rally Then Dumps 3%—But Why?

Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) fell close to 3% on Tuesday, as large holders shifted roughly $32 million worth of DOGE to exchanges, putting sellers back in control.

Trump Triggered 70% Gains Overnight -- This Rare Earths Stock Could Be Next

Trump Triggered 70% Gains Overnight -- This Rare Earths Stock Could Be Next - Ad

Trump's turning tiny mining stocks into overnight fortunes... and this little-known rare earths miner could be his next billion-dollar BUY. If Trump cuts a deal you could see a 50% to 200% pop overnight. But you must act before the next deal hits the wire.

Consumers should do their research before giving in to Travel Tuesday temptation

NEW YORK (AP) — Chain stores have . Online marketplaces have . For local businesses, it's .

Coreweave, Rocket Lab, AST Spacemobile, Rigetti And Bigbear.Ai: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Major U.S. indexes closed higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 0.8% to 47,368.63.

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Weiss expert Sean Brodrick went out on a limb last year and declared a historic event would send the yellow metal to $3,150. People laughed at him at the time, but he was off by just two days. Now, Sean has a shocking new prediction for gold ... and reveals a little-known way to get ahead of this bull market.

Trump attacks ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce in angry response to three sharp questions

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump denounced ABC News' Mary Bruce as a “terrible reporter” Tuesday and threatened the network's license to broadcast after she asked him three sharp questions at the White House.

These 8 Democrats voted with Republicans on the government shutdown deal. Here's how they explain it

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic senators — eight in total — faced almost instant blowback from members of their own party as to allow the Senate to move forward on that would reopen the government.

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1)

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1) - Ad

Over the past 15 years, Bitcoin has outperformed stocks, bonds, and every other asset you could've bought. 2025 is already shaping up to be another banner year, with Bitcoin recently hitting a new all-time high. But there's a better way to profit from this new crypto rally. Most people don't know about it... and yet it's returned over 1,000% in 4 months. This could be the #1 way to invest in crypto right now.

Nvidia, Dell, Coinbase, Gorilla Technology And Archer Aviation: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

U.S. stocks closed lower on Monday, with the Dow slipping 1.2% to 46,590.24, the S&P 500 easing 0.92% to 6,672.41, and the Nasdaq dipping 0.84% to 22,708.07. These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:

Trump's pardon of ex-Honduran president Hernández injects wild card into election

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — The day before Honduras , suddenly the main topics of conversation here shifted from domestic matters to and the former Honduran president he had pardoned.

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

Futurist Eric Fry say Amazon, Tesla and Nvidia are all on the verge of major disruption. To help protect anyone with money invested in them, he's sharing three exciting stocks to replace them with. He gives away the names and tickers completely free in his brand-new "Sell This, Buy That" broadcast.

Trump's $2,000 Tariff Dividend Stumbles On Math: Cost Far Exceeds Revenue

Trump's $2,000 tariff rebate plan faces a major math gap, with estimated costs up to $606.8B—far exceeding tariff revenues in 2025 and 2026, says the Tax Foundation.

TSMC Ex-VP's Home Raided As Chip Giant Alleges Intel Recruit Leaked Trade Secrets

Taiwan prosecutors raided the homes of a former TSMC vice president accused of leaking advanced chipmaking secrets to Intel, a claim Intel firmly denies as the high-stakes investigation intensifies.

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line - Ad

The man who predicted the 2008 crash and 2020 says today's soaring markets are NOT a bubble - they're something far stranger and more dangerous. He says it's about to change everything you know about money.

A lost generation of news consumers? Survey shows how teenagers dislike the news media

NEW YORK (AP) — Cat Murphy, a college student, has wanted to be a journalist since she was 11. Many of her friends don't understand why.

OpenAI's Partners Rake Up $96 Billion Debt as AI Industry's Borrowing Trend Escalates

Companies supplying data centers, chips, and processing power to OpenAI have racked up a staggering $96 billion in debt to fund their operations.

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins...

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins... - Ad

Trump Bars South Africa From 2026 G20 Summit In Florida, Freezes Aid Over 'White Genocide'

President Donald Trump directed that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, Florida. He also declared that all U.S. payments and subsidies to the country would be immediately suspended.

Iran confirms seizure of oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Saturday confirmed as it traveled through the narrow Strait of Hormuz over violations including carrying an illegal consignment, state media reported.

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account?

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account? - Ad

Analyst Sees Strong Medtronic Momentum Through 2026 With Buy Rating Intact

BofA expects Medtronic to post over 5% second-quarter revenue growth and maintain strong momentum through 2026, driven by robust procedure trends.

S&P Calls Tether 'Weak' — Meanwhile It's Buying More Gold Than Central Banks

Tether (CRYPTO: USDT) just got slapped with the lowest possible stability score from S&P G

If You Hold Any Dollars in Your Bank Account, Read This...

If You Hold Any Dollars in Your Bank Account, Read This... - Ad

Warren Buffett Believes Living A 'Happy Life' Hinges On Being Comfortable With This One Thing His Dad Taught Him

Warren Buffett's father taught him to focus on inner values, not public opinion. Buffett believes that living by your own standards leads to a happy life. He values being true to himself over societal expectations and wealth.

Trending Now