It appears like everybody and their mom is racing to see who can crack non-public autonomy first, and Lucid is not any totally different. As we speak, Lucid introduced a partnership with NVIDIA to make use of its Drive AV platform to hopefully supply Stage 4 autonomy quickly, “whereas additionally unlocking next-generation manufacturing efficiencies by means of NVIDIA’s Industrial AI platform.” What does that seem like, you ask? Properly, “Lucid goals to deploy a unified AI manufacturing unit to construct good factories and remodel their enterprise leveraging NVIDIA Omniverse and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software program libraries.”
So, the AI manufacturing unit goes to construct the good factories, I suppose? It is all a bunch of Silicon Valley investor bait, if we’re being sincere. Which I suppose is sensible. It takes an absurd sum of money to start out after which function a automotive firm, and apparently, in order for you that candy investor money, you have to say a bunch of stuff about the way you’re “implementing predictive analytics, clever robotics, and real-time course of optimization to attain manufacturing excellence.” Though, if it really can get to the purpose the place it is capable of supply Stage 4 autonomy, that might nonetheless be fairly cool.
At the moment, Lucid does supply a Stage 2 driver help system that it calls DreamDrive Professional, which at the moment provides some hands-free driving and hands-free lane-change capabilities. Based on Lucid, the subsequent step on this NVIDIA partnership is providing “eyes-on, point-to-point driving (L2++) for Lucid Gravity and the corporate’s upcoming midsize automobiles,” with the aim of ultimately with the ability to supply eyes-off, hands-off, true Stage 4 driving in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.
When will that be? Nobody can say. However allegedly, it is taking place in some unspecified time in the future, with the assistance of NVIDIA. I am going to additionally imagine it after I see it.
I spy with my little eye
Talking of seeing issues, although, within the picture included with the press launch, you possibly can’t see a lot, nevertheless it undoubtedly exhibits a Lucid Gravity within the foreground. However behind it you see a second, smaller car that positive does not seem like one other Gravity — it looks like the upcoming sub-$50,000 crossover that Lucid first teased final 12 months, and that is set to debut subsequent 12 months. Zoom in a bit, begin taking part in round with among the settings within the free-to-use PhotoShop various I’ve entry to, and it seems to be smaller and swoopier, with extra of a fastback-style roofline and rear haunches that look like extra pronounced than what you get on the Gravity.
There’s solely a lot you possibly can discern from this still-shadowy picture, however I am not less than fairly assured it will not look almost as minivan-like because the Gravity. So should you do not want a car that is fairly as giant because the Gravity and like a extra typical electrical crossover form, right here you go. It must also be bit cheaper, too.
Whereas the form of the side-view mirrors and the rear gentle signature might not be probably the most thrilling discoveries on the earth, should you aren’t a fan of the Gravity’s recessed door handles, I’ve some nice information for you. Based mostly on what we are able to see right here, it seems Lucid plans to make use of extra standard door handles on its upcoming smaller crossover. Inexpensive, smaller, hopefully nonetheless almost as satisfying to drive and a special fashion of door deal with? Oh yeah, now we’re speaking.
Based on MotorTrend, it is going to even be referred to as the Lucid Earth, and Automobile and Driver appears to agree. When will it get right here, although? Based mostly on their expectations, most probably someday in 2027. So we’ll nonetheless be ready for some time, however hopefully, within the subsequent couple months, we’ll get somewhat extra data (and doubtlessly a full product reveal).