Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (MBRDNA), the Silicon Valley-based hub of innovation for Mercedes-Benz, is accelerating its pursuit of artificial intelligence in automotive technology through strategic new research collaborations. MBRDNA has initiated partnerships with two leading academic institutions: Stanford University School of Engineering and the University of California San Diego’s Contextual Robotics Institute. This six-month funding initiative is specifically designed to explore and advance the capabilities of AI to transform both the in-car passenger experience and the future of autonomous driving.
These collaborations promise to enrich both the academic and automotive worlds. For Stanford and UC San Diego, the partnership provides invaluable resources, real-world applications, and closer ties to industry innovation. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America anticipates significant breakthroughs and fresh perspectives to emerge from these dynamic interactions.
Stanford University: Cultivating the Next Wave of AI-Driven In-Car Experiences
MBRDNA’s collaboration with Stanford University taps into the institution’s long-standing legacy as a pioneering force in artificial intelligence, dating back to the establishment of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL). Fifteen select Stanford students from the Course Project-Based Design, Innovation and Development program will gain unique experiential learning opportunities. This includes exclusive field trips to both MBRDNA’s Silicon Valley headquarters and Mercedes-Benz’s global headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, offering a global perspective on automotive innovation.
The core challenge presented to these students revolves around enhancing the MBUX Virtual Assistant, a system unveiled at CES 2024. Mercedes-Benz envisions leveraging advanced software and generative AI to create a more intuitive and responsive relationship between driver and vehicle. This includes proactive features like intelligent suggestions based on learned user behavior and contextual awareness. Divided into focused teams, the Stanford students are tasked with developing innovative project ideas, exploring the expansive potential of AI to revolutionize various aspects of the automotive experience. These projects range from optimizing daily commute productivity and streamlining complex tasks like parking assistance to refining personalized in-car voice assistants powered by sophisticated large language models.
Philipp Skogstad, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, emphasizes the broader significance of these educational partnerships: “Mercedes-Benz’s educational collaborations with Stanford and UCSD are more than a financial funding commitment; they underscore our dedication to fostering the next generation of leaders in the tech space. We eagerly anticipate the discoveries and advancements that will arise from our collaboration.”
Jay Borenstein, lecturer for Stanford’s Project-Based Design, Innovation and Development course, also highlights the mutual benefits: “We’re grateful to MBRDNA for their support that provides students with experiential learning opportunities, particularly as they relate to the possibilities that AI enables in the automotive sector.”
UC San Diego: Advancing 3D Imaging for Autonomous Driving Safety
Reinforcing its commitment to fostering academic partnerships, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America is also expanding its research scope with the Contextual Robotics Institute at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Under the leadership of Institute Director and UC San Diego Computer Science Professor Henrik I. Christensen, the Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory (AVL) research team is concentrating on critical aspects of autonomous driving: perception and sensor fusion. Specifically, their research is focused on advancing 3D scene reconstruction from camera images. This research avenue holds the potential to significantly enhance the safety systems of future autonomous vehicles.
The current project aims to build upon previous research from Professor Christensen’s lab and integrate it with a real-time 4D Neural Radiance Fields (NERFs) model. The goal is to create a dynamic scene model that is segmented into semantically meaningful regions, providing a richer and more detailed understanding of the vehicle’s surroundings for autonomous driving systems.
Professor Hendrik I. Christensen expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We are very excited to join forces with Mercedes Benz Research North America to expand our work on dynamic scene models for autonomous driving. This is a great opportunity for us to broaden our approach and also build a new alliance.”
This expanded collaboration builds on MBRDNA’s established connections with UC San Diego. Beyond autonomous driving research, MBRDNA’s Powertrain Organization is also actively collaborating with the UC San Diego Sustainable Power and Energy Center, focusing on cutting-edge battery research to drive advancements in electric vehicle technology.
MBRDNA: A Legacy of Innovation in Silicon Valley
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America holds a unique position in the automotive industry as the first research and development arm established by an automotive company in Silicon Valley. Since its inception, MBRDNA has been instrumental in forging research collaborations with leading universities and researchers across the United States. These partnerships have resulted in joint publications, facilitated talent acquisition, and driven technological advancements. MBRDNA plays a crucial role in Mercedes-Benz’s global digital transformation strategy, fostering groundbreaking tech partnerships and building a strong technological foundation to support the company’s vision of becoming the most desirable tech luxury brand.
About Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA), a U.S.-based subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, is at the forefront of developing advanced automotive technologies. MBRDNA’s diverse research portfolio encompasses autonomous driving, electric vehicles, connected car solutions, and software development. With a team of over 600 developers, technicians, engineers, and designers, MBRDNA operates in close collaboration with Mercedes-Benz R&D facilities worldwide, contributing to the global advancement of automotive innovation.
Stay updated on MBRDNA’s latest news and events through their LinkedIn channel: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbrdna/. Explore career opportunities at MBRDNA: https://jobs.lever.co/MBRDNA.
Contact:
Yifei Wu, phone:+1 669 4546758, yifei.wu@mercedes-benz.com
