Isuzu unveils level-4 autonomous driving bus based on ERGA platform

MANILA: Isuzu Motors Limited has announced the introduction of its new ERGA level-4 autonomous-driving bus. These are fresh off the Japanese marque’s development floor and are not in use just yet, but they are touted as a milestone in autonomous public transport. 

Notably, Isuzu partnered up with several technology companies to make the newly unveiled level-4 autonomous-driving bus possible. Specifically, it tapped Japan-based Tier IV’s open-source software for autonomous driving. Tech giant NVIDIA, meanwhile, provided the vehicle’s brain via its “Drive AGX Thor artificial intelligence (AI) compute.”

And of course, the model is built on a bespoke Isuzu-made ERGA platform designed to accommodate an electric motor, batteries, a diesel engine (depending on the version), a highly advanced sensor suite, NVIDIA Thor AI compute, and Tier IV’s software stack. 

“Our partnership with Tier IV and NVIDIA represents a significant leap in commercial vehicle intelligence,” Senior Executive Officer and Vice President of Isuzu Motors Limited Engineering Division Hiroshi Sato said. 

“Deploying Level 4 autonomous driving on both our ERGA EV and diesel models ensures that we provide versatile, sustainable, and highly efficient solutions for any fleet. We are bringing Isuzu’s world-renowed reliability to the autonomous age, ensuring safe and high-performance transit at scale,” Sato added. 

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NVIDIA Thor AI Compute

For the unaware, the NVIDIA Thor AI compute is a part of the tech company’s Drive Hyperion system. And apart from Isuzu, other car manufacturers have already begun to develop their own self-driving technologies based on this “system-on-a-chip” technology. 

Brands already utilizing the NVIDIA Drive Hyperion include Nissan (in collaboration with Wayve), BYD, and Geely. 

NVIDIA developed the Drive Hyperion and, by extension, the Drive AGX Thor AI compute to be highly versatile. Its compatibility for commercial uses is, of course, demonstrated via the Isuzu ERGA. 

“TIER IV and Isuzu are front-runners in the public transit vertical, utilizing NVIDIA Drive AGX Thor on the Drive Hyperion Platform in the Isuzu ERGA to power Tier IV’s Autoware-based level 4 software stack,” NVIDIA Vice President of Automotive Rishi Dhall said. 

“Their scalable solution addresses critical real-world needs, such as Japan’s national driver shortage, while delivering the operational rigor necessary for essential public services,” Dhall added. 

The system’s potential use for robotaxis is shown by Nissan's use of it on the Leaf electric vehicle (EV), which is currently being developed as a self-driving taxi. 

Would you want to see the self-driving Isuzu ERGA bus on Philippine roads in the future?

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