In connected car news this week there were many announcements about embedded chips, software, OTA, LiDAR, 360-cameras, sensors partnerships and donations. Companies mentioned include Walmart, Mobileye, Velodyne, Siemens, Kia, Ford, AdaSky, Wipro, Geotab, ANSYS, Delphi, Renesas Electronics, ZF, Foresight and Excelfore.
Walmart Marketing Connected Car Device
Walmart is planning to sell connected car equipment in its automotive department with ADAS products such as HUD, backup cameras and sensors. It is rumored to have Wi-Fi and TPMS according to CE Outlook.
AEye’s LiDAR with 360 View Demoed
AEye Inc, announced completion of a successful live metropolitan demo showcasing its solid state commercial LiDAR system with 360° vehicle coverage. AEye’s high performance system employs a dense 150-vertical-channel LiDAR scanner, paired with region of interest configurability, for enhanced ranges up to 300 meters. AEye is the first to announce a commercial solid state system capable of 360° coverage and real-time software configurability – key milestones for the delivery of high performance, compact, cost-effective advanced vision systems that enable self-driving vehicles to safely navigate roadways.
AEye’s integrated system architecture and advanced algorithms emulate how the visual cortex pre-processes and customizes information sent to the brain. The system pre-fuses computer vision and 1550 nanometer band LiDAR for intelligent data collection and rapid perception and motion planning. AEye’s software-configurable hardware enables vehicle control system software to selectively customize data collection in real-time, while optional edge processing reduces control loop latency for optimal performance and safety. By having a visual cortex behind the “eyes” of the vehicle that digests information quickly and efficiently, AEye improves reliability, lowers power requirements and reduces median system bandwidth requirements – advances that are key to providing high resolution and low latency mobility solutions. In addition, Its unique MEMS-based design allows for rapid development, customization, and cost-effective manufacturing at scale
TTS & Siemens Partner
Traffic Technology Services, Inc. (TTS) and Siemens USA have finalized an agreement to expand TTS’ partner network for supporting connected and autonomous vehicle operations near signalized intersections. Starting this month, select Siemens TACTICS ATMS systems, an advanced traffic control hardware and software platform, will supply traffic signal data to TTS cloud-based services to support connected vehicle applications for safety, mobility, and the environment.
Siemens TACTICS platform is harnessing real-time traffic data which are used in the TTS cloud-based Personal Signal Assistant™ information service to provide a predicted and current intersection signal status. Every second at every intersection, TTS predicts the signal operations using its patented technology and these predictions and intersection layouts are then provided as data used for autonomous and connected vehicle applications. Siemens traffic data and analytics software enables an effective and secure solution from data capturing to actionable, real-time and measured information processing.
Through this new partnership, automotive, truck, and transit OEMs, in addition to after-market device manufacturers, and navigation service providers, will have greater access to signalized intersection data for connected vehicle applications.
Kia Motors Pledges Hurricane Donation
Kia Motors America (KMA) pledged up to $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts in communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in recent weeks. In addition, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) is pledging $100,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts.
The contribution provided to the American Red Cross will help provide food, shelter and essential supplies to individuals impacted by the hurricanes. Both KMA and KMMG are also providing opportunities for their employees to provide funding and other support to disaster relief efforts.
DENSO Donates to Support Hurricane Efforts in South Mexico
The DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF), the philanthropic arm of automotive technology, systems and components leader, DENSO, will donate $100,000 to support recovery from Hurricane Irma in America’s Gulf Coast region and Southern Mexico’s recent devastating earthquake. DNAF will distribute two $50,000 grants, one each to the American Red Cross and Mexican Red Cross. DNAF has donated $150,000 to disaster relief efforts over the past month, including a $50,000 donation following Hurricane Harvey.
Ford Donates to ACM
Ford Motor Company announced a $5 million contribution to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) to support connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology development.
This investment designates Ford as a Founder-level sponsor and member of a government-industry team that supports ACM to create its automated vehicle proving ground in Southeast Michigan where companies will develop their CAV technologies, as well as work on standards and education programs.
The contribution from Ford brings ACM’s fundraising total to $95 million to develop the 500-acre state-of-the-art testing site at Willow Run in Ypsilanti Township. The non-profit testing and validation, product development and education facility will open its first phase in December 2017.
Excelfore eSync OTA
Excelfore, an enabler of smart mobility networks, announces the eSync Adaptive Delta Compression Engine, which is used by the Excelfore eSync OTA Server to optimize over-the-air (OTA) software updates for vehicles.
The engine optimizes compression of software updates for OTA delivery within the particular environment of the automotive industry. It enables carmakers to minimize service costs, airtime costs and vehicle downtime, while increasing customer satisfaction.
The eSync System is a cloud platform for secure transactions with the vehicle, and with the various electronic end devices within the vehicle. It can be used to deliver and update software and firmware over the air, as well as for pulling diagnostics and telematics data from the devices in the vehicle.
Velodyne Selected by Merecedes-Benz
Velodyne LiDAR today announces its selection by Mercedes-Benz Research & Development as a critical sensor supplier.
Mercedes-Benz has selected the VLP-32C Ultra Puck™ to complement its intelligently integrated setup of different sensors for the development of self-driving cars. The so-called ‘sensor fusion’ enables a continuous situational analysis of the combined data from the various sensors. The goal is to guarantee reliable results to allow a robust planning of safe trajectories for automated vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz recognized the importance of LiDAR sensors in being able to provide accurate 3D images surrounding a vehicle, including low intensity objects at low ranges, and their ability in enabling fully autonomous vehicles on the road. In choosing Velodyne LiDAR as their supplier, they acknowledged the company as market leaders. //
Connected Car vendor Bright Box delivers AI-First based system for OEMs and dealerships
Bright Box, a global vendor of connected car services, has recently released Honda Connected Car services for European countries, and implements an AI system that could replace salesmen in car dealerships. This AI can evaluate the customer’s lifestyle and recommend accessories, can sell cars based on driving style and the individual’s lifestyle. Not only that it is able to predict when the user needs to go in for a service from the data generated from the telematic control unit or OBD dongle. The new system is based on work that Bright Box has done with the processing of 1.5 terabytes of data from connected car users from various countries.
AdaSky Viper Camera and Machine Vision
AdaSky, a startup comprised of industry veterans from the Israeli semiconductor and sensor market, launches the first Far Infrared (FIR) perception solution specifically designed for the automotive industry. The solution combines an FIR thermal camera with advanced computer vision algorithms to let autonomous vehicles see and understand the road and their surroundings in any conditions.
AdaSky’s first product, Viper, is comprised of a high-performing thermal camera and state-of-the-art machine vision algorithms, together in one complete solution, that can be added to any autonomous vehicle to enable it to see better and analyze its surroundings. Viper passively collects FIR signals through detection of thermal energy radiated from objects and their body heat. AdaSky’s algorithms process the signals collected by the camera to provide accurate object detection and scene analysis, giving the vehicle the ability to precisely detect pedestrians at a few hundreds of meters, allowing more distance in which to react to driving decisions.
Viper is the first high-resolution, thermal camera for autonomous vehicles with minimal size, weight and power consumption and no moving parts – at a price suited for mass market.
Foresight Eyes-On Chosen by Top China Automaker
Foresight Autonomous Holdings, developer of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems announced that following its announcement about an agreement with one of China’s top three largest car manufacturers for a pilot project to test its Eyes-On advanced driver assistance system, the company has successfully completed the project and met the pre-defined requirements and criteria set for its success.
Eyes-On was tested in controlled and uncontrolled environments, in varying speeds and against both predefined and incidental targets.
The parties have agreed to examine possible directions for commercial cooperation over the next few months.
Foresight founded in 2015, is a technology company engaged in the design, development and commercialization of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and artificial intelligence. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, develops advanced systems for accident prevention, which are designed to provide real-time information about the vehicle’s surroundings while in motion.
ZF Completes Acquisition of TRW Automotive
Around two and a half years after the takeover of TRW Automotive in May 2015 and well ahead of schedule, ZF Friedrichshafen AG has largely completed the integration of the US company. Reinforced by its new claim “see. think. act.”, ZF now offers a broad portfolio of intelligent mechanical systems which can address the challenges of future trends including digitalization, electromobility and autonomous driving..
Approximately two and a half years after acquiring the US Company TRW Automotive, ZF is now presenting itself as one company. “Originally, we planned three to five years for the integration, so we’re delighted we’ve done even better than expected,” says ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer. “I want to thank everybody involved for the great commitment they put into the integration process. This was a major factor for success, as well as the readiness of our employees to join us on this journey.”
Mobileye Aftermarket Collision Avoidance System
Mobileye, an Intel company, the global leader in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies, today announced a unique collaboration intended to reduce commercial fleet collisions and enhance road safety in the United States.
Beginning immediately, Munich Reinsurance America Inc. (Munich Re, US) will make available Mobileye’s aftermarket Advanced Collision Avoidance System to its clients, including commercial fleets. The new program will provide Munich Re, US clients with the option of retrofitting existing vehicles with Mobileye ADAS technology, designed to help mitigate the potential for collisions among fleets and improve driver behavior through the use of warning signals. Munich Re, US will also conduct a loss analysis to help quantify the potential impact of Mobileye’s technology on a client company’s portfolio of commercial fleet business.//
Renesas and CodePlay Collaborate for ComputeAorta
Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, and Codeplay Software Ltd., experts in high-performance compilers and software optimization for multi-core processing, announced their collaboration to deliver ComputeAorta™, Codeplay’s OpenCL open standard-based software framework for Renesas R-Car system-on-chips (SoCs). The framework will be available first on R-Car H3 as a proof of concept, then focusing on R-Car V3M and other R-Car SoCs of the Renesas autonomy Platform for advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) and automated driving. The new framework is designed to support software development for the R-Car’s latest image recognition IP, the IMP-X5, a multi-threading core optimized for computer vision and cognitive processing. Codeplay will also provide R-Car with ComputeCpp™, an implementation of the SYCL™ open standard, enabling single source C++ software for high level and object-oriented programming. The result of this collaboration provides developers with standard software development tools and support for a wide range of open source computer vision or open source deep learning software, such as TensorFlow™ library. Developers will be able to focus on innovation, while benefiting from the high performance and low-power benefits of the R-Car SoCs. They can reuse their initial software assets or take advantage of the latest innovations in computer vision and cognitive processing, minimize porting effort and accelerate time-to-market.
Renesas & Cogent 3D Surround ViewK
Delphi Partners with LeddarTech
Delphi Automotive PLC has signed a commercial partnership agreement with LeddarTech, a Canadian company developing solid-state LiDAR technology.
Delphi, a leader in autonomous driving technology, and LeddarTech, a Canadian start-up focused on an advanced, proprietary signal processing technology, will collaborate to develop a low-cost, corner LiDAR solution.
The core technology can be developed rapidly and allows for easy vehicle integration.
First All-Electric Truck in NYC
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), part of Daimler Trucks – the global market leader with truck brands like Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz and FUSO celebrated the global launch of the FUSO eCanter in New York City. The FUSO eCanter is the world’s first series-produced all-electric light-duty truck and will be delivered to customers starting this year in the US, Europe and Japan. MFTBC is planning to deliver 500 units of this generation to customers within the next two years. Larger scale production is intended to start in 2019.
ANSYS New Automotive Reliability Guide
Customers of TSMC and ANSYSan now accelerate the production of innovative automotive features through a new Automotive Reliability Solution Guide. The guide empowers customers to develop more efficient and robust chips for the next generation of smart automobiles, based on TSMC and ANSYS collaboration in ANSYS® RedHawk™, ANSYS® RedHawk-CTA™, ANSYS® Totem™ and ANSYS® Pathfinder-Static™ reliability solutions.
Reliability is critical for cutting-edge automotive platforms used in advanced driver assistance systems, infotainment controls and autonomous driving. ANSYS and TSMC collaborated on the first-of-its-kind guide, incorporating various reliability capabilities in one place to support customers’ IP, chip and package development for automotive applications in TSMC’s 16-nanometer FinFET Compact Technology (16FFC) process and Automotive Design Enablement Platform (ADEP).
Geotab announced GO8 LTE Fleet Management
Geotab, a pioneer in smart transportation and telematics technology, announced the launch of the new GO8Ⓡ LTE fleet management device. The Geotab GO8 is the newest device in Geotab’s line of award-winning telematics solutions with the addition of LTE. Like its predecessor, the GO8 offers advanced GPS technology, G-force monitoring, Geotab IOX™ expandability, engine and battery health assessments, and in-vehicle audible driver coaching.
Sequans & Geotab Compatibility
IoT chipmaker Sequans Communications S.A. announced that its Calliope LTE Cat 1 Platform is powering Geotab’s new GO8Ⓡ device, an open-platform telematics solution for fleet management unveiled this week at Mobile World Congress. The GO8 delivers a comprehensive set of telematics features including GPS, g-force monitoring, accurate engine diagnostics, accident detection and notification, near real-time vehicle data, fast GPS acquisition time, auto-calibrating accelerometer performance, and end-to-end security.
Wipro Joins AGL
Wipro Limited , a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has become a silver member of The Linux Foundation and a bronze member of Automotive Grade Linux (AGL).
AGL is a collaborative open source project that is bringing together automakers, suppliers and technology companies to accelerate the development and adoption of a fully-open software stack for connected vehicle services. With Linux at its core, AGL is developing an open platform from the ground up that can serve as the de facto industry standard to enable rapid development of new features and technologies for the automotive segment.