Nvidia Corporation

Mike Truog

David Nister

Gary D Hicok

Karl Friedrich Greb

Jonathan Sweedler

Ram Ganapathi

John George Mathieson

Ashok Srinivasan

Clement Farabet

Mohammed Abdulla Yousuf

Michael Alan Ditty

T Y Chan

Kevin Flory

Dan Hettena

TY Chan

In a self-driving autonomous vehicle, a controller architecture includes multiple processors within the same box. Each processor monitors the others and takes appropriate safe action when needed. Some processors may run dormant or low priority redundant functions that become active when another processor is detected to have failed. The processors are independently powered and independently execute redundant algorithms from sensor data processing to actuation commands using different hardware capabilities (GPUs, processing cores, different input signals, etc.). Intentional hardware and software diversity improves fault tolerance. The resulting fault-tolerant/fail-operational system meets ISO26262 ASIL-D specifications based on a single electronic controller unit platform that can be used for self-driving vehicles.

Method of using a single controller (ECU) for a fault-tolerant/fail-operational self-driving system

In a self-driving autonomous vehicle, a controller architecture includes multiple processors within the same box. Each processor monitors the others and takes appropriate safe action when needed. Some processors may run dormant or low priority redundant functions that become active when another processor is detected to have failed. The processors are independently powered and independently execute redundant algorithms from sensor data processing to actuation commands using different hardware capabilities (GPUs, processing cores, different input signals, etc.). Intentional hardware and software diversity improves fault tolerance. The resulting fault-tolerant/fail-operational system meets ISO26262 ASIL D specifications based on a single electronic controller unit platform that can be used for self-driving vehicles.

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Mike Truog