Connected Car News: J.D. Power, Locomation, Motional, Xilinx & Conti

In connected car news are J.D. Power, On Semi, Keysight Tech, Qualcomm, Inmotive, Rescale, Hyundai, Seoul Semi, Hercules EV, Prieto and Maxim.

J.D. Power Retail Sales Up

New-vehicle retail sales in September are expected to be up from a year ago, according to a joint forecast developed jointly by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Retail sales are projected to reach 1,157,800 units, a 3.4% increase compared with September 2019. Reporting the same numbers without controlling for the number of selling days translates to an increase of 12.4% from a year ago. While the increase vs. September 2019 is substantial, it’s important to recognize that it is being aided by the industry sales reporting calendar. September 2020 contains two additional selling days than September 2019 and has the added benefit from promotional activity related to the Labor Day weekend, which last year fell into August sales reporting.

Consortium Joins 3GPP

Consortium (AECC), the organization working to explore the data and communications needs of the rapidly evolving connected car ecosystem, announced that it has joined the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a Market Representation Partner (MRP). 3GPP produces technical specifications, which are translated by relevant standards bodies into appropriate deliverables, such as standards. MRPs offer market advice to 3GPP about their specific sectors for consideration in the 3GPP’s specification planning and development.an benefit from the AECC’s ecosystem approach”

Specifically, AECC plans to bring into 3GPP a consensus view of market requirements such as services, features and functionality that fall within the 3GPP’s scope of work. The AECC Liaison Committee worked with 3GPP to establish the AECC’s MRP.

On Semi Selected by Subaru

ON Semiconductor  driving energy efficient innovations, has announced that SUBARU CORPORATION has selected its image sensing technology to enable camera-based ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) in the car manufacturer’s new-generation EyeSight Driver Assist platform. The Levorg, a 2020 All-Wheel Drive Sports Tourer, is the first model to offer the new system.

Winner of numerous safety awards, SUBARU’s EyeSight is one of the most well established and widely deployed vision-based ADAS solutions in the market. The new generation continues the stereo camera architecture, providing a range of ADAS features including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and pre-collision braking system. As with previous versions of EyeSight, ON Semiconductor’s image sensing technology acts as the ‘eyes’ to enable this important safety functionality.

Keysight Tech Partners with Qualcomm

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, announced that the company is working with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and SGS to help advance testing of cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology.his

The three companies focused on test cases covering radio frequency (RF) and radio resource management (RRM) performance verification of devices used for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) deployment scenarios. The test cases, based on 3rd generation partnership projects’ (3GPP) Release 14 specifications, support C-V2X test plans prescribed by the OmniAir Consortium and the Global Certification Forum (GCF). In August 2020, SGS used Keysight’s RF/RRM DVT & Conformance Toolset and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon Automotive 4G Platform to verify initial test cases at the certification company’s lab in San Diego. The Snapdragon Automotive 4G Platform is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

The automotive industry is in the process of implementing C-V2X technology to improve safety for drivers and passengers in moving vehicles, as well as pedestrians in transit.

“As a result of the advancements in C-V2X tests and field trials, we’re witnessing a surge in the technology needed in vehicles that support real-time information sharing which is critical to deterring accidents, avoiding obstacles and broadcasting road-condition updates,” said Prashant Dogra, vice president, engineering at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The Snapdragon Automotive 4G Platform features integrated C-V2X and global navigation satellite system technology designed for precise timing and location.”

Keysight’s conformance test platforms enable hardware and software providers to validate compliance of C-V2X devices to standards set by 3GPP. Keysight’s connected car solutions support a wide range of technologies, including 5G, C-V2X, DSRC and GNSS, to improve reliability, cybersecurity and safety in an increasingly complex world.

Inmotive ‘s Two-Speed Transmission

Inmotive, a Canadian-based automotive supplier, has launched its patented IngearTM two-speed transmission. Invented and designed for the next generation of electric vehicles, the Ingear features a simple and durable design that enables a more efficient powertrain, with extended range, at lower cost.

Inmotive recently completed its extensive pre-production testing of the Ingear, has integrated it into a demonstration vehicle and is ready for full market implementation. Test units are available to qualified OEMs.

How it works

Currently, most EVs use single-speed transmissions, however, equipping an EV with an Ingear transmission lowers cost, extends range and improves acceleration times, highway passing capability, top-speed and gradeability.

Typically, there are two reduction gears between the electric motor and the wheels, with the motor turning about nine times for each revolution of the wheels. The Ingear replaces the second reduction gear with a continuous chain drive and a morphing sprocket. To shift, an actuator directs sprocket segments into place during a single revolution of the wheels, effectively increasing or decreasing the gear ratio. The Ingear’s patented geometry keeps the motor and wheels in sync, enabling continuous torque flow throughout the shift process.

By enabling the drivetrain to operate more efficiently with low and high-gear ability, less energy is wasted resulting in more range from each charge. Similarly, regeneration is improved and is continuous, even while downshifting.

Rescale Building HPC for Hyundai Motor Group

Rescale Inc., the leader in enterprise big compute, in cooperation with Hyundai Motors Group, today announced that they are building a multi-cloud high performance computing (HPC) environment for innovating in the smart mobility industry. This new agile environment will allow researchers to expand capacity via the cloud and break through the physical limitations of traditional research and development.

Adding more cloud capacity and power to high performance computing allows mobility researchers to run critical digital simulations with faster iterations, enabling more rapid technological breakthroughs such as the development of AI-powered autonomous vehicles or enhancing automotive fuel efficiency and safety features. The Rescale turnkey platform makes it possible to easily run hundreds of simulation software on a multi-cloud high performance computing infrastructure, allowing researchers to scale and accelerate research as needed on a single platform, accessible at anytime and anywhere.

Until now, the Hyundai Motor Group Research Institute’s Aerodynamic Development Team was restricted by the resources of an existing on-premise infrastructure, limiting the number of simulation tasks that could be processed simultaneously. By moving to a customized multi-cloud environment powered by Rescale, Hyundai Motor Group researchers will be able to scale simulations according to need, allowing for significantly more tasks to run simultaneously with optimized team collaboration, and ultimately leading to a faster time to market.

Hyundai Works with UNDP

Hyundai Motor Company and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have entered into their inaugural agreement aimed at spreading messages of sustainability to people around the world and turning their proposals for sustainable innovation into tangible initiatives.

Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor and UNDP will collaborate for the first time to create a global initiative, titled for Tomorrow, which will help accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

The agreement will enable Hyundai Motor and UNDP to crowdsource innovations from the public and help implement these solutions, a much needed response to the world’s escalating environmental and socio-economic challenges.

Seoul Semi WICOP

Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (“Seoul“) (KOSDAQ 046890), a leading global innovator of LED products and technology, announced that it has supplied WICOP Bi-color (2 colors in one package) LED products for the daytime running lights and front turn signals of the 2020 Audi A4 (B9 facelift) headlamp.

This is the first example of Seoul Semiconductor’s WICOP product being mounted on an Audi headlamp. WICOP Bi-color LED is a core patented technology of Seoul Semiconductor that realizes both white and yellow in one package. It is designed to directly mount the LED chip on the board without additional package.

In the meantime Seoul Semiconductor has already developed the more compact WICOP Gen2 mini bi-color emitter while including the advantages of the existing WICOP in combination with even slimmer footprint

Hercules EV & Prieto

Hercules Electric Vehicles and Prieto Battery, Inc. today announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to form a strategic partnership for the development and commercialization of Prieto’s 3D Lithium-ion solid-state batteries for use in Hercules electric pickups, SUVs and other future vehicles starting in 2025.

MAX25205 For Gesture Control

Designers of automotive systems can now add dynamic hand-gesture controls with greater ease at the industry’s lowest cost and smallest size with the MAX25205 data acquisition system from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.. Featuring integrated optics and a 6×10 infrared (IR) sensor array, the MAX25205 detects swipe and hand-rotation gestures without the complexity of time-of-flight (ToF) cameras at 10x lower cost and up to 75 percent smaller size.

Automakers predict driver safety will improve when gesture and proximity sensing replace knobs and touch screens for infotainment, phone, side mirror, climate, trunk, sunroof and reading lamp controls. Most gesture-sensing systems in today’s cars are based on ToF cameras that also bring high costs and complexities, which many manufacturers wish to avoid.

Maxim Integrated’s optical-based MAX25205 enables the most hand gestures at a solution cost that is up to 10x lower than ToF camera-based systems. Additionally, the gesture and proximity-sensing sensor features a high level of integration and comes in a small 4mmx4mm chip size, which is up to 75 percent smaller than ToF camera-based solutions. This gesture solution offers a great complement solution to the voice command, as there are scenarios where voice command is not effective. Another benefit of a gesture solution is that the automotive displays do not become smeared with many fingerprints as customers use their touch screens.

Key Advantages

  • Lowest Cost: Enables swipe and rotation gestures sensing at lower cost than a ToF camera; Allows developers to avoid complex software development and maintenance programs
  • Smallest Size: 60 photo diode array, LED driver and internal LDO result in a total solution size that is significantly smaller than ToF camera solutions; Can be paired with a small microcontroller, rather than the larger microprocessors that more complex solutions require
  • Versatility: Delivers 9 gestures, including swipe, rotations, air link and 3×2 proximity zones with low lag time in a single chip compared to a competitive solution that requires 3 chips and a complicated microprocessor; Cost reduction makes gesture-sensing feasible for automotive, consumer and industrial applications such as smart home hubs, thermostats and others, all without touching the device

 

  • The MAX25205 is available at Maxim Integrated’s website; Pricing available upon request
  • The MAX25205EVKIT# evaluation kit is also available at Maxim Integrated’s website

 

AMPLY Powers Anaheim

California’s first all-electric bus fleet, the Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) has selected AMPLY Power to manage all aspects of charging for its 46 electric buses servicing the city of  Anaheim, California and surrounding communities. The production scale, 20-year contract is the first of its kind and largest Fleet Charge Management Services (CMS) agreement to date, which covers the management of ATN’s charging operations from system design, installation, equipment purchase, operations and maintenance for a fixed price per kWh consumed. The model, based on the Power Purchase Agreement that popularized solar energy, ensures mission critical vehicles are charged and ready for use every day. This agreement includes the construction of a 545kW solar canopy providing 25 percent of the total expected energy consumption. ATN estimates $4.8M of fuel savings over 20 years compared to liquid natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG). In addition to serving riders in and around Anaheim and surrounding communities ATN connects riders to regional attractions such as The Disneyland Resort ®, Knott’s Berry Farm, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim Stadium, Honda Center and other large regional employment centers.

Carfast Expands to Chicago

Direct from its success in Arizona, new digital startup Carsfast has now expanded its unique car buying and financing services throughout Chicago.

Chicago locals have recently welcomed this contactless service which allows people to shop and get finance for thousands of near new cars all from their cell phone. With operations expanding to other local regions later this month, Carsfast will change the way Chicago locals buy their next car.

Kesight Adds  Simulator and Ethernet

Keysight Technologies, Inc.  a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, has added two new test solutions to its growing automotive portfolio – Radar Target Simulator and Advanced Automotive Ethernet software – which help automotive industry engineers, designers and manufacturers develop high-quality, high-performance products that improve safety in any driving conditions and enable emerging advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

Rapid developments in autonomous vehicles and demand for greater safety features is fueling the need for sensitive and accurate automotive radar technology. Leveraging its expertise in radar test technology, Keysight now offers a new Radar Target Simulator (RTS) to help automotive electronics manufacturers confidently simulate radar targets in various realistic scenarios.

Keysight’s new RTS performs multi-target, multi-angle testing for radar modules in a lab environment. The solution delivers fast, accurate and reliable results that balance throughput and quality. Design and verification engineers can quickly validate the performance of radar products, while manufacturing and design validation engineers are able to simulate multiple objects at variable distances. By allowing users to bring a real-world test environment into their lab, Keysight’s RTS delivers substantial time and cost savings.

Addressing the Standards that Govern Automotive Ethernet

Next-generation ADAS systems require camera and radar systems with high resolution, which require increased speed and bandwidth. Automotive Ethernet enables faster data communication to meet the demands of today’s vehicles and the connected vehicles of the future. However, the channel or link in a system can create a point of failure and as such must be fully tested.

To address this growing challenge, Keysight has developed a new automotive Ethernet channel test software solution to verify that information is carried, without loss or cross talk, to its intended destination.

Keysight’s new automotive Ethernet software ensures signal quality requirements with conformance testing for that channel. In addition, it performs return loss, insertion loss, mode conversion, powersum and cross talk measurements of a cable in a bundle. Built on functional and multipurpose hardware –