In January there have been several announcements from automotive suppliers for new connected car technology from Continental, Corning Glass, HARMAN, Hella, Bosch, Mistsubishi, NVIDIA, PNI, SMK, VocalXoom and VOXX. Solutions include new LIDAR, head-up displays,
Continental’s New Hardware HUD, 3D Flash LIDAR, Assisted & Automated Driving Control Unit & Biometrics.
Continental has entered into a strategic partnership with DigiLens Inc., a leader in holographic projection technology. The ultra thin holographic Head-up Display from Continental and DigiLens will be smaller by a factor of three. It will need less space while at the same time providing a larger image with all the relevant information.
Continental is now offering High Resolution 3D Flash LIDAR is a core component for generating a comprehensive 3D environment model. It provides a significantly more comprehensive and detailed 3D view of the entire vehicle surroundings – both during the day and at night – and works reliably even in adverse weather conditions.
The 3D Flash LIDAR expands Continental’s portfolio of surroundings sensors for advanced driver assistance systems to support highly and fully automated driving in combination with other sensors. Series production is scheduled to start in 2020
Continental is nominated for a Tech CARS Award, you can vote until January 31.
Compared with many scanner components used today, the High Resolution 3D Flash LIDAR comprises just two key components: A laser as a transmission source – like the flash of a camera – that illuminates the vehicle surroundings up to distances beyond 200 meters; and a highly integrated receptor chip. Similar in concept to a sensor chip in a digital camera, except that it is capable of recording the laser pulse transit time and record the reflected light on each pixel, which corresponds to the range from the objects. This simple yet highly efficient method allows highly accurate and distortion-free images of the surroundings to be generated with every laser flash.
The Assisted & Automated Driving Control Unit is used for evaluating and interpreting the acquired data and ultimately constructing a comprehensive surroundings model. It is a central control unit comprising a network of multiple heterogeneous processing units. The control unit also plays a key role in interconnecting electronic chassis and safety systems. This increases the functional scope by interconnecting systems that used to operate in isolation. Since intervention decisions are centrally coordinated, simultaneous interventions in different systems harmonize perfectly with each other.
The goal is to offer a scalable product family for assisted and automated driving that meets the most stringent of safety requirements (ASIL D) by 2019. The control unit will be equipped with various connections for Ethernet and Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) to manage the required flow of data.
In-vehicle biometrics from Continental work through the combination of the keyless entry and start system PASE (Passive Start and Entry) and biometric elements, Continental offers enhanced security and real personalization. For example, to start the engine it might not be enough to simply have the right key inside the vehicle, depending on how the automotive manufacturer’s system is configured.
Corning Glass Connected Car Tech
New Corning Glass Connected Car that recently premiered has:
- A lightweight Gorilla Glass hybrid windshield with augmented reality capabilities, providing real-time updates on traffic and landmarks, and enabling a lighter, more fuel-efficient ride.
- A seamless, flowing Gorilla Glass dashboard and elegantly floating center console, providing users with fully integrated connectivity that keeps drivers and passengers informed and entertained. Gorilla Glass is produced in flat sheets but is so thin (in the case of this prototype, a mere .7 mm), it can easily withstand the gentle bend radius of the console design without the need for hot molding.
- Gorilla Glass hybrid sunroof and backlites, with additional lightweighting benefits, contributing to improved fuel efficiency.
HARMAN Summit Next, Voyager Next & HUD
HARMAN launched SUMMIT Next This smart audio platform is an exciting portfolio of solutions that will transform how people spend time in the car. From today’s cars to tomorrow’s autonomous vehicles, the intelligent, expandable features drive a host of never before possible in-vehicle experiences that elevate the journey for drivers and riders – transforming the vehicle cabin into a personal sanctuary, a high-tech office, a movie theatre or even a favorite music venue, all with the highest level of acoustic performance yet.
HARMAN’s SUMMIT Next smart audio and Voyager Next solutions draw on technologies across HARMAN’s Lifestyle, Connected Car and Professional Solutions divisions to push the boundaries even further, spearheading the evolution of the vehicle cabin.
New for the HARMAN SUMMIT Next smart audio platform is an exciting portfolio of solutions that will transform how people engage with their vehicles, creating new centers for entertainment and productivity by leveraging the very latest in acoustic and connected technology advances, including:
- Ambisonics Escape – Next-generation acoustic processing turns a vehicle into a personal sanctuary, transporting drivers to into the natural surroundings they see outside their car windows, by sonically recreating actual environments such as the beach, a forest, waterfalls and more, through a full 360-degree sound field, while still inside the vehicle.
- Dynamic Sound Stage (DSS) – A responsive spatial soundstage connects the music to the drive quite literally by controlling the soundstage in the vehicle cabin to match the route – responding to curves in the road, tunnels, even acceleration and deceleration. The result is a more dynamic listening experience that is as varied as the journey itself.
- In-Car Conferencing – Ambisonic processing spatially renders audio from in-car calls to match video locations in a futuristic conferencing experience to give the sensation of being in a real meeting room from the comfort and privacy of the vehicle cabin.
- In-Car Theatre – The most theatre-like viewing experience ever achieved in a vehicle combines HARMAN’s QuantumLogic Immersion professional movie theatre audio processing with segment leading video, bringing passengers closer to a real movie experience than ever before.
Voyager Next, the latest generation of HARMAN’s award-winning Voyager consumer platform for small vehicles, debuts as the industry’s first all-in-one audio and connected car Head Unit solution designed to meet the needs of today’s ‘on-the-go’ lifestyle. Designed specifically with the next-generation of millennial consumers in mind, Voyager Next combines HARMAN’s industry leading premium audio and connected car technologies into one tailored solution, adding innovative application, loudspeaker and subwoofer solutions, providing an experience that meets their expectations for great audio quality while connecting them to their daily lives.
WayRay HUD
HARMAN and WayRay, Holographic AR displays, announced a collaboration to develop a wide view angle full windshield heads-up display proof of concept for the automotive market. WayRay, a pioneer of holographic AR displays for the auto industry, specializes in innovative use of holographic optical elements that enable an augmented reality (AR) projection system that is significantly more compact than traditional mirror and lens based projection technology and allows for high-resolution projection in direct line of sight of the driver particularly for ADAS applications such as augmented navigation.
HARMAN Hardware with Software for Safety/HUD Biometrics, E-Mirrors & Predictive Collision Prevention
Demonstrated in the Rinspeed concept car, Oasis, HARMAN’s vision for the autonomous vehicle user experience includes a series of modes and systems that elevate both the autonomous and manual driving experience, including how the vehicle interacts with drivers and passengers during their time in the vehicle – from autonomous driving to re-engaging drivers upon arrival at a destination. The revolutionary vehicle also features a number of industry-firsts, including:
- Full Windshield Heads-Up Display: The full windshield is used to project navigation prompts and other information to the driver, while also simultaneously projecting entertainment or information to the passenger.
- Autonomous Drive Readiness Check – Handover to Manual HARMAN’s solution combines haptic feedback, eye gaze tracking, and the driver’s cognitive load readiness through pupil monitoring, to ensure that the driver is truly engaged and able to safely take control of the steering wheel.
- Augmented Reality Concierge: A voice-controlled virtual assistant functions as a concierge, automatically suggesting and displaying personalized points of interest while enabling advanced in-vehicle productivity to join conference calls, update calendars and more. Through Skype connectivity, the system can even translate telephone conversations – in real time — with colleagues speaking different languages.
- Predictive Collision Prevention: V2X (vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure) technologies detect objects on a collision course and offer corrective action.
- Intelligent E-Mirrors: Mirrors that are automatically activated/dimmed based on user gaze.
CompactRadar Senors
HELLA, NXP, and InnoSenT have developed a new sensor generation based on 77 GHz technology. The newest CompactRadar sensor product generation is barely larger than a box of matches. This, for example, allows for installation inside bumpers or integration into side elements, such as doors, and the rear parts of the vehicle. This enables efficient 360° environment recognition for the entire vehicle. It is particularly important for fully automated parking. The market introduction of the CompactRadar product family is anticipated for 2018.
HELLA’s HD84 headlamp consists of 84 individually controllable LED’s per headlamp. The headlamps receive the necessary information for proper light distribution adjustment to traffic, weather and road conditions via a link to a front camera, usually installed behind the windshield. The software of HELLA Aglaia Mobile Vision GmbH, also a HELLA Group company, enables front camera activation also for functions such as lane keeping assistance or pedestrian and vehicle detection.
Bosch Sensors for eCall, TDL, CGW, Displays & EPS
Bosch announced sensor-based solutions. In the event of an accident, a vehicle equipped with an eCall system will automatically contact emergency services. The Bosch Retrofit eCall plug is a smart device that uses acceleration sensors and intelligent embedded algorithms to detect an accident. Upon detection, it transmits data to a back-end IT system (via a Bluetooth smartphone app) to provide immediate assistance, e.g. it enables a call center to call the driver, or immediately contact the emergency services if necessary.
Also Bosch reported that Retrofit eCall can now be extended to Usage-Based Insurance and Concierge Services. At the push of a button, the Concierge Service connects drivers to a designated personal assistant at a service center. This personal assistant can then provide the driver with specific directions or alternative routes, and can even book hotels and restaurants.
Bosch TDL
The Transport Data Logger (TDL) ensures transparency across the entire supply chain. The TDL is a sensor-based device that can be attached to a shipment of sensitive or high-value goods. By monitoring and recording relevant parameters such as temperature, humidity, tilt, and shocks, the TDL makes the delivery process transparent and traceable.
These measurements are subsequently documented and visualized via an app. If any parameter exceeds a user defined threshold, this is recorded, providing traceability and accountability. If no thresholds are exceeded, the TDL provides evidence of an incident-free transport chain.
Bosch Central Connected Gateway
The Bosch Central Connected Gateway (CGW) is the central communication node that acts as a router for in-vehicle communication and through the connectivity control unit (CCU) to the outside. It is the gate for all data coming into the vehicle and is secure through security functions such as firewall and intrusion detection. ETAS and ESCRYPT (both parts of the Bosch Group) provide the necessary transmission and encryption technologies that ensure functional safety and data security. The gateway enables secure software updates via the cloud or firmware over the air (FOTA) updates, which means OEMS can provide consumers with the ability to keep their vehicle up-to-date on an on-going basis.
Bosch Perfectly Keyless
Perfectly Keyless is a user-centric vehicle access system that offers full passive entry and passive start functionality using a mobile phone as a digital car key, allowing the vehicle to be entered and started without any interaction on the phone from the digital key owner. When approaching the vehicle, Perfectly Keyless will automatically identify the secret key on the phone and perform a distance measurement. Access is allowed within a specified range of the vehicle. In a similar way, starting of the vehicle is only permitted if Perfectly Keyless localizes the mobile device inside the vehicle itself. By using a digital key on the user’s mobile device, Perfectly Keyless improves personalized car settings and enables simplified car sharing.
Connectivity Control Unit
The Connectivity Control Unit with Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) technology is based on a Wi-Fi radio standard called DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) and allows vehicles to transmit basic information such as current location, speed, heading, acceleration and vehicle condition to other vehicles in the vicinity. This control unit will allow vehicles to communicate with infrastructure using the same radio technology. V2V is being mandated by the U.S. government and the V2X CCU will bring this technology to OEMs.
Bosch neo-Sense Displays
The neo-Sense haptic touch display creates the sensation of physically touching a button on a standard touchscreen display. Bosch technology can create the feeling of different texture as the user’s fingers move around the display surface enabling a new dimension of touch interfaces.
EPS
Electric Power Steering (EPS) system with fail-operational function. This highly redundant feature enables either a driver or auto pilot system to independently return to a minimal risk condition maintaining about 50 percent electric steering support in the rare case of a single failure. The fail-operational solution includes a fully-redundant electronic architecture
Mitsubishi Mobile Mapping
Mitsubishi Mobile Mapping System, the MMS-G220 is a highly accurate measuring system using car-mounted GPS antennas, laser scanners and cameras. The system gathers 3-D positioning data of road surfaces and roadside features to an absolute accuracy of 4 inches, allowing the creation of comprehensive 3D maps to the level of accuracy needed to support autonomous driving. The company will start off by offering the new model in the Asia-Oceania region.
The MMS-G220 can be used in a wide range of applications, such as the precise surveying of infrastructure and is especially suited to autonomous driving systems. It is easily mountable, allowing compatibility with multiple car types. The detachable roof-mounted main unit is smaller and lighter than the current more rigid models, while maintaining the same level of accuracy.
NVIDIA
NVIDIA now has built an AI car supercomputer, called Xavier. It can process 30 trillion operation a second in just 30 watts; uses 512 core Volta GPU with autograde reliability. NVIDIA has its owns self-driving car BB8.
NVDIA AI car computer now offers AI Co-Pilot that is aware of the driver and passenger. The car has array of speakers and mics. The car is either driving you or looking out for you. If it’s not confident to drive, or there are too many pedestrians, it should still be completely aware. The computer can also read the driver’s lips in cases where it there is to much noise to detect a voice.
The NVIDIA DriveWorks, OS for driving supports natural language usage.
NVIDIA in the Mercedes Concept EQ powers an enormous 24-inch TFT HD screen, which displays all the relevant information needed for the driver. NVIDIA recently made software announcements, too. Bosch, announced that they will be using NVIDIA AI technology to bring self-driving systems to production vehicles all around the world.
LG has a multi-screen vehicle cockpit demonstration powered by NVIDIA DRIVE.
Panasonic Smart City Tech
Panasonic has several types of connected car hardware solutions in development for smart cities:
- Smart LED Streetlights are W-iFi-connected lamp posts mounted with security cameras, sensors or other devices.
Panasonic’s Smart Bus Stop technology combines solar power generation, security cameras and an LCD screen supporting LinkRay light communication technology. - Panasonic’s image analysis tech helps a Smart Parking Meter recognize license plates, detect vacant parking spaces, give directions to a driver seeking an open spot and handle parking fee charging.
- Smart city central solution envisions a centralized control center that manages all data from security systems equipped with a 360-degree view surveillance camera, Smart LED Streetlights, Smart Bus Stops and Smart Parking Meters.
PNI Smart Parking
PNI Sensor Corporation announced the introduction of PlacePod, a high-accuracy, IoT-enabled smart parking sensor. PlacePod is an in-ground or surface-mounted sensor with Semtech LoRa Technology that provides accurate vehicle detection in parking spaces, 10 years of battery life, and is stable over temperature fluctuations, even in harsh environments.
Key features of the PlacePod smart parking sensor include:
Accurate magnetic sensing system for vehicle detection with the combination of PNI’s high-performance magnetic sensor and vehicle detection algorithms that accurately detect the presence or absence of a car in a parking space.
Sensors and algorithms are finely tuned for ultra-low power consumption and are always-on, providing continuous vehicle detection without missing a parking event.
Simplified provisioning and management using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for easy wireless setup, calibration, diagnostics, and software updates via mobile or desktop application.
IoT-enabled with complete LoRaWAN compatibility via the built-in LoRa-based radio for communication with a LoRa-enabled gateway;
Easy installation, either in-ground or surface-mounted, in a compact, rugged polycarbonate housing.
Automotive Radar MCU from Renesas
Renesas announced its first RH850-based, 32-bit, automotive radar microcontroller (MCU) series, the RH850/V1R, that will deliver the high performance and features required for enabling future advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving vehicles. The RH850/V1R-M, the first product from the RH850/V1R Series, includes a digital signal processor (DSP, Note 1) and high speed serial interfaces and is specifically designed for middle- to long-range radars.
Renesas launched the new RH850/V1R-M MCU specifically designed for radar applications in ADAS. The new MCU includes optimized, programmable digital signal processing, a dual core at 320 megahertz (MHz) with industry-leading high speed flash of 2 megabyte (MB), a 2 MB internal RAM, while meeting the industry’s highest temperature requirements.
The RH850/V1R-M MCU is designed to have optimized hardware acceleration in the DSP. The optimized DSP allows the system developers to process the raw data into target objects efficiently, separately from the safety relevant classification and tracking done in the CPUs.
Samples of the RH850/V1R-M and the DSP math library will be available from second half of 2017. Samples will be priced at US$30 per unit. Mass production is scheduled to begin in November 2018.
SMK New Touch Displays & Controls
SMK announced that it will introduce a new family of advanced in-dash HMI touch-panel displays, automotive-grade external HD camera modules, and high-speed LVDS connectivity components for automobile manufacturing applications.
SMK Electronics offers a variety of advanced automotive in-dash touch-panel controls including capacitive models utilizing advanced curved-surface displays, a unique sensor solution using only one glass with top and bottom ITO layers, and a new haptic feedback model providing seamless, curved, illuminated switches made by cooperation with Aito which is a co-development partner for ‘Piezo-electronic’ sensing technology.
Additionally, SMK has a new family of external high definition (HD) camera modules and high-speed signal interface LVDS camera connectors for auto manufacturing applications. Featuring miniaturized low-footprint design, these automotive-grade IPX7/9K-rated components include Fakra and HSD connectors for vehicle ECUs and Antenna sub-systems, as well as rigid and flexible PCB connectors for general automobile technology systems.
VocalZooms on Voice in Cars
VocalZoom’s Human to Machine (HMC) optical sensor takes the risk and inconvenience out of today’s connected car experience by delivering seamless, near-perfect voice-control performance even with background noise from open windows, engine noise, music playing, passenger conversations and other interference.
VocalZoom enables a single VocalZoom optical sensor in a car’s rear-view mirror, dashboard, seats or ceiling, where it can be used to acquire data from tiny vibrations in a driver’s facial skin while issuing voice commands. This data is measured and converted to an isolated, near-perfect reference signal that automotive voice control systems can understand and quickly respond to, regardless of noise levels. Tests have shown performance improvements of at least 50 percent compared to traditional speech-recognition technology in a quiet automotive environment, and even better in noisy environments. CES visitors will be able to hear the difference for themselves as they listen to and observe voice-control performance in various driving environments, both with VocalZoom optical sensor technology.
VOXX Gentex Full Display Mirror & CarLink
VOXX Electronics announced that the Company has entered into a distribution agreement with Gentex Corporation to exclusively distribute the Gentex Aftermarket Full Display Mirror (FDM) in North America. This system was designed to enhance driving safety by optimizing the driver’s rear visibility and help eliminate blind spots. In addition, VOXX Electronics Corporation will also distribute the complete Gentex product line of automatic-dimming interior and exterior rearview mirrors and electronics.
VOXX will exclusively distribute the Gentex Aftermarket Full Display Mirror (FDM). The FDM is the first hybrid rear vision system. It functions as a standard automatic dimming rearview mirror, but with the flip of a lever, a custom high-dynamic-range imager that captures video of the vehicle’s rear view and streams it to a unique mirror-integrated LCD display. This system meets current U.S. mirror regulations and is FMVSS-111-compliant.
VOXX Electronics also announced that the company has expanded its CarLink program to now include the CarLinkBT Long Range Transmitter. This new transmitter design communicates via Bluetooth to a smartphone then to the vehicle using LoRa RF technology to extend its operating range to over one mile without any additional monthly or annual fees.
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