Nvidia Unveils Advancements in Physical AI for Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles

New models and partnerships aim to accelerate deployment of self-driving cars and humanoid robots

Mar. 16, 2026 at 9:52pm by Ben Kaplan

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At its GTC 2026 conference, Nvidia announced several key advancements in physical AI, including new foundation models for autonomous robots, cars, and other real-world applications. The company is expanding its partnership with Uber to launch a fleet of Nvidia-powered self-driving cars in 28 cities by 2028, and is adding new automakers like BYD, Hyundai, Nissan, and Geely to its robotaxi initiative. Nvidia also unveiled its Physical AI Data Factory Blueprint, an open reference architecture to streamline the generation and evaluation of training data for physical AI systems.

Why it matters

These announcements from Nvidia highlight the growing importance of physical AI, which powers robots, autonomous vehicles, and other real-world applications. As physical AI systems become more advanced and capable, they have the potential to transform industries, transportation, and even entertainment experiences like theme parks. However, ensuring the safety and reliability of these systems is critical, which is why Nvidia's focus on data generation and testing is significant.

The details

Nvidia released several new foundation models for physical AI, including Cosmos 3 for simulating complex environments, Isaac GR00T N1.7 for humanoid robots, and Alpamayo 1.5 for autonomous driving. The company is also expanding its partnership with Uber to launch a fleet of Nvidia-powered self-driving cars in 28 cities by 2028, and adding new automakers to its robotaxi initiative. Additionally, Nvidia announced its Physical AI Data Factory Blueprint, an open reference architecture to streamline the generation and evaluation of training data for physical AI systems.

  • Nvidia's Physical AI Data Factory Blueprint will be available next month on GitHub.
  • Nvidia and Uber plan to launch a fleet of autonomous vehicles powered by Nvidia's technology in 28 cities across four continents by 2028, with Los Angeles and San Francisco starting in 2027.

The players

Nvidia

An American technology company that designs graphics processing units (GPUs) for the gaming and professional markets, as well as system on a chip units (SoCs) for the mobile computing and automotive market.

Uber

A multinational ride-hailing and food delivery company that is expanding its partnership with Nvidia to launch a fleet of autonomous vehicles powered by Nvidia's technology.

BYD, Hyundai, Nissan, Geely

Automakers that are joining Nvidia's robotaxi initiative, which already includes GM, Mercedes, and Toyota.

T-Mobile

A major American wireless network operator that is partnering with Nvidia and Nokia to speed up physical AI using AI radio access network (AI-RAN) infrastructure in remote locations.

Nokia

A Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics company that is partnering with Nvidia and T-Mobile to speed up physical AI using AI-RAN infrastructure.

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What they’re saying

“By turning the 5G network into a distributed AI computer with T-Mobile and Nokia, we're creating a scalable blueprint for the world's edge AI infrastructure.”

— Jensen Huang, CEO, Nvidia (ZDNET)

“As we deploy satellite constellations and explore deeper into space, intelligence must live wherever data is generated.”

— Jensen Huang, CEO, Nvidia (ZDNET)

What’s next

Nvidia's Vera Rubin Space-1 component, which is part of the company's space initiative, will be "available at a later date."

The takeaway

Nvidia's announcements at GTC 2026 demonstrate the company's commitment to advancing physical AI, which has the potential to transform a wide range of industries and applications, from autonomous vehicles to theme park robotics. By developing new foundation models, expanding partnerships, and streamlining data generation, Nvidia is positioning itself as a leader in this emerging field of AI.