In connected car news are Marvell, Cerence, Faraday Future, Tactile Mobility, Green Hills Software, Parkilo, TomTom, Volvo and Hyundai.
Marvell Intros 3rd Gen Brightlane Ethernet Switch
Marvell introduced its third generation Marvell® Brightlane™ Ethernet Switch, the industry’s most advanced automotive secure managed switch, and the first with lockstep dual-core Arm processing redundancy to enable high-reliability for mission-critical applications that support vehicle safety and performance. As the leading digital framework for next-generation Ethernet-based zonal architectures, the new automotive switch also includes a suite of advanced security and networking features, along with increased bandwidth and port counts as compared to the previous generation.
The third generation Brightlane Ethernet Switch is a high-performance, fully integrated design that incorporates IEEE 802.1AE-2018-compliant Media Access Control security (MACsec) protocols and an embedded Hardware Security Module (eHSM) for software authentication and data encryption. It also integrates 10Base-T1S capabilities into an automotive Ethernet switch for the first time, along with 100/1000Base-T1 PHYs, 2.5G/10G SerDes and PCIe Gen3 ports, reducing the number of components and security threat surfaces. In addition, the Brightlane Ethernet Switch supports the latest Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards to reduce latency and ensure quality of service (QoS) for essential vehicular connectivity, including the IEEE 802.1CB standard for data redundancy.
“The move to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is a rapidly emerging megatrend in the automotive industry because software-centric architectures not only will enable over-the-air software updates for existing in-vehicle systems, but they will make possible entirely new aftermarket services and applications to continuously improve safety and driving experiences over time,” said Ian Riches, vice president for the Global Automotive Practice, Strategy Analytics. “As a result, security and safety is foundational to these networks, and Marvell’s new secure managed Ethernet switch integrates all the essential elements to drive the SDV revolution forward.”
“As the newest Brightlane Ethernet switch in our portfolio, this innovative design is targeted at the core need to ensure the security of next-generation in-vehicle networks and the data they carry,” said Mike Yeager, vice president and general manager, Automotive Business Unit, Marvell. “Our end-to-end optimization for software-defined, zonal architectures, advanced security, increased bandwidth and PHY integration is driving design win momentum for Marvell’s Ethernet products among top auto manufacturers and OEM partners.”
The new Brightlane Ethernet Switch is designed to meet the requirements of the ISO 26262 ASIL-B safety standard and comes in two versions: The 88Q5152/51 version is a nine-port design, while the 88Q5192 version is a 16-port design. The third generation Brightlane Ethernet Switch is part of Marvell’s complete portfolio of automotive Brightlane Ethernet switches, PHY transceivers and bridges, which support speeds from 100Mbps to 10Gbps and feature the enhanced safety and security features required for today’s and tomorrow’s in-vehicle networks.
Cerence Speaks for Faraday Future
-Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC), AI for a world in motion, today announced that Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (“FF”) (NASDAQ: FFIE), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, has selected Cerence’s AI-powered text-to-speech (TTS) technology to enable natural, human-like communication for the in-car assistant in its FF 91 ultra-luxury electric vehicle, set to start production in Q3 2022. FF will also leverage Cerence Speech Signal Enhancement (SSE), a suite of AI-based sound processing technologies that remove noise from microphone inputs, to enable clear communication between drivers and the FF 91.
To create natural, comfortable interaction between drivers and the FF 91, FF will leverage the most innovative TTS technology from Cerence. Cerence TTS brings a human-like quality to the in-car assistant, creating a truly conversational experience in which the car listens, understands and responds to drivers using natural speech. With Cerence TTS, the FF 91’s voice assistant delivers information and responds to prompts – ranging from news and weather to point-of-interest details, navigation, parking, and fuel – in an expressive style that brings a more personal tone to the in-car experience.
“Voice interaction is central to the in-car experience in the FF 91, as we aim to make interacting with the car and the world outside as efficient and effective as possible,” said Hong Rao, vice president IAI, Faraday Future. “By leveraging text-to-speech and audio processing technologies from Cerence, the leader in voice technology for the car, we’re maximizing each interaction with efficiency, comfort, and reliability. We believe the future of human-vehicle interaction is moving towards a voice-first experience, and we’re thrilled to have Cerence as part of our global supplier network to help with our communication enhancing technology.”
In addition, Cerence SSE will integrate with FF’s voice recognition and natural language understanding engines with crystal-clear input from drivers and passengers. Cerence SSE combines advanced statistical signal processing algorithms with the latest machine learning technologies to provide superior performance with moderate CPU consumption. It is a comprehensive, hardware- and operating system-agnostic suite of sound processing technologies that significantly improve communication and recognition in noisy environments like in a moving car. By removing noise, echo and interference from a driver’s speech, Cerence SSE enables delivery of higher quality communication with the FF 91’s in-car assistant, improving driver safety, comfort, and productivity.
“Faraday Future is a true innovator, and the upcoming start-of-production of the FF 91 marks a major milestone in the next generation of electric vehicles,” said Stefan Ortmanns, CEO, Cerence. “We’re proud to be a part of the FF 91 with Cerence Text-to-Speech and Speech Signal Enhancement, two solutions that provide a high level of quality and comfort when communicating with the car, enabling drivers to maximize their safety and productivity while on the road.”
The flagship FF 91 was designed in the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles, engineered in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and China, and is being produced in the Hanford, Calif. manufacturing plant. The FF 91’s “Global DNA” reflects the talent at FF and across the globe, with support from top-tier suppliers from countries such as Italy, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, China, Belgium, Switzerland and more.
Tactile Mobility Launches Health Monitoring
Tactile Mobility, the leading tactile data and virtual sensing technology company, announced the launch of its Tire Health Monitoring solution, providing a 360-degree view of current and future tire health status. The new offering provides a continuously updated, objective understanding of how tires behave throughout their usable lifetime, helping drivers better gauge how their tires are currently performing and how they will continue to perform. The new offering joins Tactile Mobility’s core ‘Tactile Processor Platform,’ a suite of software-based solutions aimed at greatly enhancing driver and passenger safety
Green Hills Software for Mitsubishi Inca Jay
Green Hills Software, the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security, announced its role as the high-performance safe and secure software foundation running and protecting the newly unveiled Inca Jay digital cockpit from Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503). The Inca Jay digital cockpit adds a suite of integrated technologies featuring Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Cabin Safety and augmented reality user experience (UX). Mitsubishi Electric selected the INTEGRITY® real-time operating system (RTOS) from Green Hills to safely and securely run and protect the Inca Jay’s software, while harnessing the performance of the Qualcomm® 3rd Generation Snapdragon® Cockpit Platform. The Inca Jay enables OEMs to create next-generation vehicle digital cockpits with enhanced safety, security, and augmented reality (AR)-powered user experiences.
As software applications for safety and convenience grow in number and complexity in vehicle cockpits, OEMs are facing the daunting challenge of supplying enough processor performance while at the same time, combining more and different types of applications on the same processor, in a manner that guarantees freedom from interference for critical functions. Moreover, OEMs need to reduce the time and cost to develop and integrate millions of lines of code, requiring advanced software development tools.
The Inca Jay digital cockpit from Mitsubishi Electric offers an impressive suite of advanced features:
- The Driver Monitoring System (DMS) leverages an onboard near-infrared camera to detect driver drowsiness or sudden sickness based on facial expressions and other body information, including pulse and respiration rates. In addition, face-tracking and image-processing technologies detect slight variations in skin tone due to changes in heartbeat, even in the presence of vehicle vibrations and changes in ambient light. If abnormal physical conditions are detected, the system suggests the driver stop to rest, or can notify another system to commence an automated emergency-parking function.
If children are left in a vehicle unattended, a cabin sensor detects the presence of children in the camera’s blind spots, such as wrapped in a blanket or down in the footwell, and the system alerts the driver and others nearby.
- A High-Definition Locator (HDL) combines with DMS to provide adaptive directional headlights for safer nighttime driving. The HDL is also paired with augmented reality to power location and payment services on the center display and show bookmarks for parking spots and other landmarks. In addition, the system scans and saves credit card information for easy payment.
- AR Graphics Overlays on the ASIL B certifiable instrument cluster and center console show intuitive navigation guidance and location-based services, all powered by a custom version of TomTom Navigation for Automotive.
Parklio Saves Parking Spaces
Parklio is the first and currently the only smartphone-controlled parking barrier that protects parking places and enables key sharing among the users. With Parklio you can easily control and share your parking place with other users and guests through the free mobile application.
Pacific Cascade Corporation (PCC) was founded in 1987 by Mark Curtis, and through its ParkingZone division has become the parking industry go-to resource for all necessary products to efficiently operate a parking lot or garage. ParkingZone has been chosen as the Master distribution partner for the Parklio Smart Parking Barrier and Gateway throughout North America.
The Parklio Smart Parking Barriers have had a really diverse client base throughout Europe that includes universities, cities, municipalities, hotels, and parking lots.
The Smart Parking Barriers have a galvanized steel base and powder coated components which allows the barrier to withstand up to 9 tons of load while weighing only 33 lbs. The vandal-proof design will protect the barrier from tampering and damage. All you have to do is fasten Parklio with the provided screws to the ground and guarantee your parking place will be protected. The barriers have a set of sensors that detect vehicle departures and close automatically, resulting in a worry-free experience.
The barrier and all its components are designed and made to endure severe weather conditions such as rain, snow and extreme temperatures. In case of an excessive force, replacement of the safety pin is quick and easy. The safety pin also allows for manual control of the barrier.
Parklio barrier comes with rechargeable li-ion batteries which can last up to 1 year on one charge and there is also an option for constant supply with 90V-250V AC. it is also equipped with a modern solar panel for sustainable autonomy.
TomTom Resets Mapmaking
TomTom (TOM2), the geolocation technology specialist, announced that it will reset the organization as it further improved its mapmaking technology. Engineering investments have resulted in an advanced automated mapmaking platform, which leads to a material change in mapmaking activities.
“Higher levels of automation and the integration of a variety of digital sources will result in fresher and richer maps, with wider coverage,” said Harold Goddijn, CEO of TomTom. “These better maps will improve our product offerings and allow us to address a broader market, both in the Automotive and Enterprise businesses”.
The improvement in our mapmaking technology will lead to material efficiency gains. Combined with a better map, this will strengthen our competitive position. Regrettably, this will have an intended impact on approximately 500 employees in our Maps unit, equivalent to around 10% of our total global headcount.
The full assessment of the financial implications of the reset of the Maps unit is ongoing. A further update will be provided during the publication of our results for the second quarter of 2022.
Epic Unreal Engine Graphics for Volvo
To offer its customers the best possible user experience, Volvo Cars is bringing photorealistic visualisation technology into its next generation of electric cars through a new collaboration with Epic Games. The companies are teaming up to bring Epic’s Unreal Engine game engine into upcoming Volvo cars, providing unparalleled high-quality graphics inside the cabin.
Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment and software company probably best known for Fortnite, one of the world’s largest games. Epic Games also develops Unreal Engine, widely considered to be the most advanced real-time 3D creation tool used in various industries beyond games, and which will now be used by Volvo Cars for developing digital interfaces inside its cars and rendering real-time graphics in the car.
Volvo Cars is the first European carmaker to use the Unreal Engine for development of the Human Machine Interface (HMI). More specifically, it will initially focus on the Driver Information Module (DIM), one of the displays inside the cabin that provide the driver with relevant information and infotainment features.
In the next generation of Volvo cars, customers will encounter impressive, high-quality graphics on those displays. Much sharper renderings, richer colours and brand new 3D animations are only the first steps as Volvo Cars developers continue to push the graphic envelope.
Welcome to the Hyundai Metaverse
Hyundai Motor Company today it will provide future mobility experiences in its virtual Hyundai Motorstudio on the ZEPETO metaverse platform.
Operated by NAVER Z, ZEPETO is a virtual space where users can interact with one another by participating in various activities using their avatars. The platform is especially popular among millennials and Gen Z as they can engage in various lifestyle activities and freely express themselves.
Hyundai introduced its first virtual Motorstudio within Downtown (Future) on ZEPETO last year, and is now adding a second floor of exhibition space with more advanced activities. There is a set of future mobility experiences, including S-A1 advanced air mobility, S-Link purpose-built mobility and S-Hub future mobility transit center — all in ZEPETO’s Downtown (Future).
In the first floor’s exhibition hall, which replicates the interior and exterior of Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul, ZEPETO users can watch the campaign film for Hyundai’s IONIQ dedicated battery electric vehicle brand, featuring ‘I’m On It’ by BTS, and see posters for the Hyundai x BTS Earth Day campaign ‘For Tomorrow, We Won’t Wait.’ In the second floor’s exhibition hall, visitors can get S-A1 miniatures and try on or purchase Re:Style collection, Hyundai’s eco-friendly upcycled clothing collection.
In Downtown (Future), ZEPETO users can experience various future mobility solutions originally announced by Hyundai Motor at CES 2020. They can tour the S-Hub future mobility transit center, ride the S-A1 urban air mobility vehicle, and experience three concepts of S-Link purpose-built mobility, including a clinic, party room and food truck.
To commemorate the expansion of the virtual Hyundai Motorstudio, Hyundai will host the ‘I’m On It’ challenge on ZEPETO, posting avatar selfies with BTS content on social media. Plus, the company is planning to run an eco-friendly event in June with a giveaway of avatar fashion items, such as hats or crossbody bags, when users complete a ‘Plogging’ quest, which is collecting trash while jogging.
“To build strong and long-lasting relationships with young generations, Hyundai Motor is creating virtual experiences where they can become familiar with our brand vision and future mobility solutions,” said Thomas Schemera, Hyundai Motor’s Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience Division. “We will continue using virtual reality platforms to communicate our brand vision with new virtual spaces and content. So, please join us in the metaverse.”
In June last year, Hyundai Motor provided the Sonata N-line test drive experience in the virtual space for the first time in the automotive industry in collaboration with ZEPETO. The company has also continued to communicate with the MZ generation by providing virtually interactive contents such as ‘Hyundai Mobility Adventure,’ showcasing the future mobility lifestyle within the metaverse platform, ‘Roblox,’ since last September.