NVIDIA is showcasing this week at CES its DRIVE Localization - a system that unlocks the restraints to a global, mass-market solution for cars to find themselves on maps.
Leveraging the compute power of GPUs and the worldwide reach of NVIDIA DRIVE mapping partners, the DRIVE Localization software module is an open, scalable platform for vehicles to position themselves on high-definition maps with unprecedented robustness and accuracy, using mass-market sensors.
It's vital for a self-driving car to be able to pinpoint its location within centimeters so it can understand its surroundings and establish a sense of the road and lane structures. This enables it to detect when a lane is forking or merging, plan lane changes and determine lane paths even when markings aren't clear.
DRIVE Localization makes that precise positioning possible by matching semantic landmarks in the vehicle's environment with features from HD maps to determine exactly where it is in real time. And by leveraging mass-market sensors the platform is cost effective - enabling use in personal cars.
A High-Performance, Mass-Market Solution At the heart of DRIVE Localization is the NVIDIA DRIVE Xavier SoC, the world's first auto-grade processor dedicated to autonomous driving. Architected to satisfy such demanding computational needs, Xavier contains a deep learning accelerator (DLA) and a CUDA engine.
In combination with the NVIDIA software platform, these processors operate fast inference for deep neural networks and high-performance parallel processing for computer vision algorithms, both of which are leveraged in the DRIVE Localization module.
Rather than relying on expensive lidar technology, DRIVE Localization gathers data from low-cost sensors on the vehicle - a front camera, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and the vehicle's speedometer.
Xavier's high-bandwidth sensor ingestion and processing pipelines enable NVIDIA's dedicated deep neural networks to analyze data instantaneously and detect semantic features in a variety of weather and lighting conditions, such as lane boundaries, signs, poles and road edges.
The DRIVE Localization module then overlays a third-party map with the sensor data, evaluating thousands of viewpoints in parallel. It performs this process faster than real time, scoring a massive array of vantage points from the map to one frame of visual data to find the most precise position and orientation.
This requires an enormous amount of parallel computational horsepower, which the Xavier SoC delivers with efficiency.
A Scalable Ecosystem While Xavier makes it possible for localization to work in real time, the system must also be able to perform this process wherever the car drives. To do so, NVIDIA turned to partners that have dedicated years and vast resources to building HD maps of the world's roads - among them, Baidu, HERE, NavInfo, TomTom and Zenrin, which have made their maps compatible with DRIVE Software for global localization.
Additionally, NVIDIA is expanding the mapping ecosystem with its DRIVE Maps format, allowing any map vendor to convert to this format to leverage DRIVE Localization directly, laying the foundation to access further capabilities of the system.
Support from HD Mapping Partners The world's top HD mapping companies expressed support for the initiative. Among them:
The compute performance and efficiency of NVIDIA DRIVE combined with Baidu's HD maps, will lead the industry in unprecedented scale and accuracy for safe self-driving in China.
-Gu Weihao, general manager, IDG Intelligent Vehicle Business Unit, Baidu
The speed and efficiency of NVIDIA DRIVE Localization makes it possible for mass-market vehicles to access our world-class HD mapping solution,. We are excited to be a part of this truly global platform.
-Matt Preyss, product marketing manager in Autonomous Driving, HERE
By combining our HD maps with NVIDIA DRIVE Localization, autonomous vehicles will be able to precisely and safely navigate China's roads. GPU technology is key to the highly accurate localization necessary for fully self-driving cars.
-Wang Miao, director of HD maps products, NavInfo
With NVIDIA DRIVE Localization, the TomTom HD map service can be applied in any vehicle to power the future of autonomy.
-Willem Strijbosch, head of Autonomous Driving, TomTom
Autonomous vehicles in Japan need to localize in tough driving conditions, such as tight corners and multi-level highways, long tunnels and dense skyscrapers, The combination of NVIDIA Localization and Zenrin HD Map expects to meet these challenges.
-Yasuko Osada, project manager, ZENRIN
Experience DRIVE Localization firsthand on the CES showfloor, at NVIDIA booth 6306 and TomTom booth 5226.
Most recent headlines
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today! By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
22/12/2025
Hitting the bullseye: Sky Sports readies itself for the biggest PDC World Darts ...
22/12/2025
Unique skillset: Bringing new directors to the world of darts at The Worlds with...
22/12/2025
Gravity Media prepares for a flight of fancy with the PDC World Darts Championsh...
22/12/2025
One hundred and eighty: Gravity Media on hitting the production bullseye at the ...
22/12/2025
The Famous Group's Jon Slusser on Fascinating Fans Through Immersive Content...
22/12/2025
ESPN's Meg Aronowitz on Continuing High-Quality Broadcasts of Collegiate Spo...
22/12/2025
ESPN Takes Data-Driven Storytelling to New Heights with MNF Playbook with Next ...
22/12/2025
For a decade, popular German podcast Fest & Flauschig has hosted an annual Chris...
22/12/2025
Paramount Scores Largest Share Increase Among Distributors as Paramount and CBS...
22/12/2025
New multi-year deal integrates Roku's data to fuel Nielsen's measurement suite
Roku gains access to Nielsen's streaming ratings, showing The Roku C...
22/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
22/12/2025
Berklee Wrapped 2025: Our Top News and Stories A look back at a year highlighted by faculty milestones, major film and television projects, Bob Dylan's ho...
22/12/2025
The works of Plato state that when humans have an experience, some level of change occurs in their brain, which is powered by memory - specifically long-term me...
22/12/2025
Partnership integrates complementary satellite data and AI analytics to enhance security, infrastructure, and environmental monitoring solutions for global cust...
22/12/2025
Workflows allow you to create a sequence of planned events which may be added to your template(s) or inserted directly into your sequential or background playli...
22/12/2025
Monday 22 December 2025
Sky extends PGA TOUR partnership until 2029, as Sky Spo...
22/12/2025
Back to All News
Global Anime Hits and New Releases Take Center Stage at Jump Festa 2026
Entertainment
22 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied to clipboar...
22/12/2025
Siobh n McSweeney, Rory McIlroy, Elon Musk, Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin, Ivan Yates and Traitor Paudie Moloney lead new characters for Callan Kicks the Year 2...
22/12/2025
Winner announced in the picturesque surroundings of Wicklow's Avondale Tower and Treetop Walk
Andrew Trimble wins the show in his first series as coach
Th...
22/12/2025
The 2025 winners have been announced today, Sunday 21 December, for Ireland's largest choral competition Choirs for Christmas hosted by RT lyric fm.
Ove...
21/12/2025
Back to All News
Legoshi and Haru's Story Reaches Its Finale: BEASTARS Fin...
21/12/2025
John Shortt named Young Sportsperson of the Year Kerry are the Team of the Year
...
20/12/2025
Atomos announced the immediate availability of a new firmware update for its Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX monitor-recorders, unlocking ProRes RAW recording from the...
20/12/2025
CJP Broadcast has completed the digitisation of the European Gymnastics tape archive, converting 328 tapes containing more than forty years of recorded material...
20/12/2025
Bitmovin, the leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced the launch of the Stream Lab MCP Server, to give AI agents and large language model...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
NVIDIA is showcasing this week at CES its DRIVE Localization - a system that unlocks the restraints to a global, mass-market solution for cars to find themselves on maps.
