Nvidia Chip to Power Semi-Autonomous RV trailer

One of the coolest-looking products on display at CES 2024 is the striking Pebble Flow electric trailer.

Credit: Pebble

California-based maker Pebble used the Las Vegas spectacular to announce that when it enters production at the end of this year, it will be equipped with Nvidia’s Drive Orin system-on-a-chip to give it semi-autonomous functionality.

Among the features it promises to deliver will be Magic Hitch, which lets the Pebble Flow maneuver itself into position and automatically connect to the tow vehicle.

Drive Orin, which delivers up to 254 trillion operations a second, will power a full robotic stack, including perception, planning and control, to enable Magic Hitch, as well as other features to address familiar recreational vehicle (RV) pain points, such as parking, packing up and refueling.

Remote Control, for example, means the Pebble Flow can be remotely parked or maneuvered into tight spots once unhitched by using the Pebble smartphone app.

InstaCamp, meanwhile, can deploy or retract an awning, stairs, lights and auto-leveling stabilizers in seconds.

The partnership between Pebble and NVIDIA represents the first time this level of computing power has been deployed in the RV market and it will bring other benefits too.

With the ability to receive over-the-air updates, in time the Pebble Flow will essentially serve as a connected smart home with the enhancement and addition of new tech and features.

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The Pebble Flow was first revealed late last year, with a mission to reimagine the travel trailer as we know it.

It is 100% electric, which means there are no gasses or fuels on board, and has a 45 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery that can power the dual motor Active Propulsion System as well as all the appliances.

The propulsion setup powers the trailer’s wheels, taking some of the strain off the towing vehicle – reducing its fuel consumption or increasing its range – while Pebble claims it can remain off the grid for up to a week.

Stefan Solvom, chief technology officer at Pebble, said: “We needed a partner that could provide a high-performance, centralized and scalable computing platform that is future-proof and backed by a commercial track record of successful deployment and we’ve found this with NVIDIA.

“The Nvidia Drive platform provides the ability to rapidly implement state-of-the-art approaches and this collaboration will be critical for us to reimagine RVing and make it as easy as using an iPhone.”

The Pebble Flow starts at $109,000 with a Magic Pack version, featuring the semi-automated tech, priced from $125,000.