NVIDIA, a Silicon Valley leader in Visual Computing Technologies has opened an office in Ann Arbor to be closer to the Automotive Industry. While the office has only six people, with the Auto industry doing well it will surely grow. NVIDIA’s roots are in visual computing, but it has expanded and now includes an entire product line for the automotive industry. NVIDIA’s auto platform includes infotainment and navigation, digital instrument clusters, driver assistance and rear seat entertainment.
This is just another sign of the invasion of the Automotive Industry by Next Generation Manufacturing. Even just a decade ago, the idea of a Silicon Valley company most famous for its processors opening an office in Ann Arbor to be near Metro Detroit’s automotive hub would have been unlikely. Now, as autos evolve ever more into rolling computers, it seems like a natural next step as OEM’s battle for customers through the look, feel and performance of their cockpits and dashboards.