In connected car news are DENSO, Toyota, Maxim, Donaldson, DRiV, CSiAI, REE and Dirac.
DENSO & Toyota
DENSO Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation agreed to establish a joint venture for research and advanced development of next-generation, in-vehicle semiconductors. The two companies will study the details and aim to establish the new company in April 2020.
Recently, electronic controls have been increasingly implemented into vehicles. Furthermore, the number of in-vehicle semiconductors has also grown, and the performance of these semiconductors has continuously improved. To create a future of mobility that is safe and sustainable, it is necessary to develop next-generation semiconductors that are integral to technology innovations, such as connected cars, automated driving, sharing mobility and electrification.
In June 2018, DENSO and Toyota agreed to consolidate the electronic components production and development functions to DENSO. Based on this agreement, they have been working to achieve a speedy and competitive production and development system.
Maxim in MediaTek AUTUS
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. announced that select products from its automotive portfolio are being used in MediaTek’s AUTUS in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) platform. To deliver the high-performance, flexibility and efficiency required by carmakers and tier-1 suppliers, Maxim’s gigabit multimedia serial link (GMSL) serializer and deserializer (SerDes) technology provides best-in-class video transmission capability. In addition, Maxim’s power management solutions improve multimedia performance and efficiency for MediaTek’s platform.
MediaTek’s AUTUS I20 (MT2712) is a high-performance, hexa-core infotainment solution with a flexible interface to support multiple displays. It links drivers to their vehicles to improve their driving experience, passenger safety, connectivity and entertainment by delivering information and content from the car’s sensors and multimedia sources. Next-generation surround-view applications demand support for four simultaneous video cameras, but legacy automotive networking technology has struggled to deliver the required bandwidth and transmission distance.
Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd., an innovator in automotive vision systems (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX), today announced that last week the company successfully completed a series of technological demonstrations of its QuadSight vision system in the United States for five leading vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) and six Tier One suppliers. These demonstrations follow successful technological roadshows that were recently carried out in Japan and France.
The current series of technological demonstrations was carried out in the Silicon Valley area and in Detroit, with the assistance and support of FLIR Systems, a world-leading industrial technology company focused on intelligent sensing solutions. During the Silicon Valley roadshow, Foresight also presented its QuadSight vision system at FLIR’s booth in the Autonomous Vehicle Sensors Conference in San Jose, California.
New Donaldson Battery Vent
Donaldson Company, Inc., a worldwide manufacturer of venting solutions for automotive systems, now offers the Dual-Stage Battery Vent. This new high-performance battery pack vent helps provide protection from water, dirt, contaminants and automotive fluids, while equalizing pressure of the battery pack—two functions that support the life of batteries and their enclosures.
“Our new Dual-Stage Battery Vent is designed to meet the unique requirements of automotive battery packs: the need to protect the battery pack housing from excess over- or under-pressure under normal conditions, and the need to expel large amounts of gases quickly if a thermal runaway event begins within the battery pack,” said Nathan Malek, general manager of Donaldson Global Venting Solutions.
The first stage of the Dual-Stage Battery Vent equalizes pressure while preventing the ingress of water and contaminants. Second stage venting activates if rapid pressure and heat build-up occur, fully opening the vent and allowing expanding gases to escape, which deters further damage to the remaining battery cells.
The Dual-Stage Battery Vent includes valuable design improvements over current one-way valves. Under certain circumstances, one-way valves might unintentionally open, allowing debris or water to enter, causing sealing issues or harm to the battery pack. The Donaldson streamlined Dual-Stage Battery Vent design avoids the use of a valve, rubber flap or any other mechanical device. Instead, it attaches directly to a housing via a quarter-turn bayonet installation and uses Donaldson’s proprietary Tetratex® ePTFE membrane to help keep debris and water out of the battery pack. In addition to exceptional protection from contaminants and over- or under-pressure, the Donaldson Dual-Stage Battery Vent allows gases and pressure to release during thermal runaway.
The Dual-Stage Battery Vent complements Donaldson’s growing automotive venting product line, which includes Snap-Fit, Screw-Fit, Press-Fit, Tube-Fit and Weld-Fit vents for numerous other vehicle components: from powertrains and headlights to sensors and fluid reservoirs. For additional information about t
DRiV in Polestar
DRiVTM, a Tenneco Inc. (business and leading global aftermarket and OE ride performance supplier, announced that its Ӧhlins brand DFV (Dual Flow Valve) adjustable suspension dampers will be featured in a performance package for the new, all-electric Polestar 2 five-door fastback. Introduced during the Geneva Motor Show, the Polestar 2 is the first all-electric model from the Volvo Car Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding. Production is expected to begin in early 2020.
Among the components included in the Polestar 2 performance package will be Ӧhlins brand dual-flow-valve adjustable front struts and rear shock absorbers. These innovative dampers enable vehicle owners to tailor chassis damping and ride quality to road condition, driving style and other variables.
CSiAI Graphene Nanotbues
CSiAl, the world’s largest manufacturer of graphene nanotubes, recently was added to the CB Insights Global Unicorn Club, a list of startup companies valued at $1 billion or more. OCSiAl made the list after A&NN Investments acquired a 0.5% stake in the company for $5 million.
Graphene nanotubes can drastically improve the properties of well-known materials, even when introduced in amounts as small as tenths or even hundredths of a percent. Ultra-strong, conductive nanotubes are now widely used in the aerospace, automotive, construction, mining, electronics and transport industries. There are considerable benefits related to energy efficiency and the reduction of CO2 emissions. For example, graphene nanotubes are expected to help improve the efficiency of electric vehicles by as much as 60%.
Nanotubes enable energy costs to be reduced at all stages of the product life cycle by reducing the amount of resources required for production, reducing the weight and quantity of the materials used, decreasing energy consumption during operation and disposal, and increasing the products’ lifespan.
REE Modular Flat Platform
REE unveiled today its revolutionary flat and modular platform which fundamentally changes the way electric vehicles are built to power widespread vehicle electrification. By integrating all of the components formerly found under the hood of the car into the wheel, REE offers optimal freedom of design, multiple body configurations on a single platform, reduced vehicle size and weight, and increased energy and operational efficiency.
REE’s unique approach strategically places the motor, steering, suspension, drivetrain, sensing, brakes, thermal systems and electronics into the wheel, creating a truly flat platform. This design provides a low center of gravity to maximize efficiency and supports the vehicle’s agility and stability. REE’s innovation drastically reduces a vehicle’s footprint, weight, and improves both energy efficiency and performance – aspects crucial to the electric and autonomous vehicle revolution.
Bosch Cloud for Battery Management
Bosch is developing new cloud services that supplement the individual vehicles’ battery-management systems. “Bosch is connecting electric-vehicle batteries with the cloud. Its data-based services mean we can substantially improve batteries’ performance and extend their service life,” says Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. Smart software functions in the cloud continually analyze the battery status and take appropriate action to prevent or slow down cell aging. These measures can reduce the wear and tear on the battery, the most expensive component of an electric vehicle, by as much as 20 percent. Real-time data gathered from the vehicle and its surroundings plays a key role here. The cloud services utilize this data to optimize every single recharging process and to provide drivers with tailored driving tips on how to conserve battery power via the dash display. Didi Chuxing, a globally leading mobility platform based in China, is working with Bosch to introduce Battery in the Cloud across DiDi’s electric vehicle fleet.
Dirac Sound for Polestar
Polestar 2 drivers will experience a new level of in-vehicle audio performance, thanks to an integrated audio system developed by Swedish audio pioneer Dirac and Harman International.
“The Polestar 2 is a high-end electric car that represents the bleeding-edge of the automotive industry,” said Lars Carlsson, Dirac General Manager of Automotive Audio. “Polestar integrates one of the industry’s most advanced digital solutions – Dirac Unison active acoustic treatment – with a Harman Kardon audio system to deliver an in-car audio experience as exceptional as its driving performance.”
Polestar, Harman, and Dirac had their work cut out for them, as vehicle cabins are among the most acoustically-challenged environments due to the countless reflective surfaces, various seating locations and multiple speakers placed at differing distances from each occupant. These factors introduce significant audio issues, regardless of the speaker hardware, such as ringing, unclear bass, unequal sound quality across seats, and interferences between speakers.
By integrating Dirac Unison with the Harman Kardon system, the Polestar 2 eliminates these acoustical imperfections and provides drivers and passengers alike with a superior aural environment.
Leveraging core principles across the fields of active noise control, sound field synthesis and room correction, Dirac Unison uses precise measurements to create an active acoustic treatment of the listening space.
Furthermore, the pioneering solution not only optimizes each speaker’s individual impulse and frequency response, it actually co-optimizes the impulse and frequency responses of all speakers within the entire sound system. This unique approach enables new degrees of precision while minimizing in-seat and between-seat sound quality variations.
Dirac Unison also features a completely new kind of bass management that automatically adapts to the cabin and speakers. By co-optimizing up to a certain frequency, sound systems can deliver a bass response that is more unified and tighter than previously thought possible in a vehicle.
Additionally, Dirac Unison, which is integrated into Dirac’s proprietary automotive tuning tool, enables a completely new way of tuning automotive sound systems with unprecedented speed and quality-consistency across all individual cars within the model. Historically, automotive audio tuning has been a time-consuming and tedious process – to ensure that all vehicles within a model deliver consistent sound quality and aural experience. However, with Dirac Unison and the company’s proprietary tuning tool, automotive engineers can produce premium sound without sacrificing time and labor hours.
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