Rethinking Autonomous Vehicle Systems: From Building Blocks to Foundation Models
Autonomous vehicle systems are evolving from separate, fixed modules toward unified AI models that integrate sensing, perception, planning, and control into cohesive frameworks. TL;DR Traditional autonomous vehicle systems use distinct modules for perception, planning, and control. Foundation models provide a unified approach by learning across multiple tasks with large-scale data. Synthetic data and simulation contribute significantly to training and validating these complex models. From Modular Systems to Foundation Models Conventional autonomous vehicles process information in separate stages, each responsible for a specific function such as sensing or decision-making. Foundation models introduce large AI architectures trained on diverse datasets to handle multiple tasks within a single system. This approach fosters more connected and adaptable AV architectures. Trade-offs and Safety Considerations Foundation models bring challenges due to th...