Bolt selects NVIDIA software for planned Madrid robotaxi data programme
The European rollout begins with future Lucid vehicles and targets at least 25,000 Level 4-capable cars
Bolt has chosen NVIDIA’s Alpamayo Stack for a European autonomous ride-hailing programme that will begin with future Lucid vehicles built on NVIDIA Hyperion. The first planned activity is a Madrid data-collection programme in 2027, subject to regulatory approval, rather than a passenger robotaxi service.
The announcement was made at GTC Berlin on Oct. 21. Bolt and NVIDIA plan to use the real-world driving data to develop and validate autonomous-driving technology for European roads, while combining NVIDIA’s driving and safety systems with Bolt’s fleet-management, operations and local-market capabilities.
Alpamayo is NVIDIA’s family of reasoning AI models and software for autonomous vehicles. Its full-stack driving software runs on Hyperion, a production-ready sensor and compute platform that combines a standardised sensor suite with dual DRIVE AGX Thor systems-on-chip. NVIDIA says the stack also incorporates its Halos safety technologies.
The planned European rollout covers at least 25,000 future Lucid vehicles capable of Level 4 autonomy. Bolt and NVIDIA said they would adapt the software for European roads and integrate it into vehicles from multiple manufacturers, beginning with Lucid. Germany and France are identified as priority markets for later deployment.
Lucid and Bolt previously announced a partnership to develop and deploy autonomous mobility services in Europe using Lucid’s forthcoming Midsize platform. That agreement also set a goal of at least 25,000 fully autonomous Lucid vehicles across multiple European cities and countries, with the vehicle platform being developed for SAE Level 4 operation and expected to use Hyperion.
Bolt’s wider ambition is to place 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its platform across Europe and the wider UNECE region by 2035. Its autonomous-driving unit, Bolt Autonomous Driving Solutions, leads the development and commercialisation of the company’s European autonomous ride-hailing services.