Connected Car News: Virtual Internet, Tasking, UVeye, Mercedes-Benz, SecondMind & Mazda

In connected car news are Virtual Internet, Tasking, UVeye, Mercedes-Benz, SecondMind and Mazda.

Virtual Internet Virtual 5G for Android Auto

Virtual Internet, the leader in Software 5G (Fifth Generation) Mobile Broadband technology announced it had begun distribution of Virtual 5G for Android Auto. Virtual Internet is the first to bring Global 5G to the Automobile Industry.

Android Auto dominates the industry with 4 out of 5 cars implementing Android Auto, with over 500 models supported.

The importance of 5G for all autos through Virtual 5G for Android Auto cannot be overstated.  There are 1.5 billion vehicles worldwide in daily operation. Globally, people spend 4.5 years of their life in a vehicle. In the US alone, drivers are on the road for 160 million hours every day, that averages to each driver spending seven 40-hour weeks behind the wheel each year. These drivers need 5G service but instead they rely on 3G technology developed in the early 1980s. Virtual 5G is now uniquely able to fill the capability gap that exists in the life of every single vehicle occupant.

Connected Cars

Cars have a modem chipset, a SIM, which is essentially the same as a smartphone. The modem chip connects with cell towers. Car occupants connect in-car using Wi-Fi. Just as Home Internet relies upon an ISP for Internet, with hardwired cables, then distributes the connection through the house using a Wi-Fi router, a vehicle connects to the Internet through cellular data connection, then broadcasts the cellular data signal to devices in the vehicle using your car as a mobile hotspot. Even OnStar, which uses GPS satellites to track vehicles, relies on cellular carriers. In cars, streaming movies, TV, or music rely on only a 3G or 4G LTE cellular data connection.

Virtual 5G for Android Auto

Virtual 5G for Android Auto brings 5G Mobile Broadband service to every make and model of automobile that supports Android Auto.

Connected Cars today rely on service that is only 3G/4G, which can be as slow as 144 kbit/s, that includes cars with built in or aftermarket Wi-Fi, and even external Wi-Fi. Virtual 5G for Android Auto 5G Mobile Broadband service is hundreds even thousands of times faster.

Connected Cars rely on 3G/4G service that is regional, even local. Virtual 5G for Android Auto 5G Mobile Broadband service is Global.

Connected Cars rely on 3G/4G service which is based on the chips installed in the vehicle when manufactured.  Virtual 5G for Android Auto allows these vehicles to immediately receive 5G Mobile Broadband service because V5G is backwards compatible with existing cars with Android Auto as well as new cars being sold with Android Auto, no changes in hardware needed.

Connected Cars limit the number of devices that can connect to the vehicle modem chip which enables Internet connectivity through cell towers. Virtual 5G for Android Auto with Virtual Web allows unlimited occupants to connect to the Internet through Virtual 5G.

TASKING Hardware Debugger iC7mini

TASKING presents the new hardware debugger iC7mini and the latest version of the development environment SmartCode v10.2r1 for the Infineon TriCore™ AURIX™ TC4x family. These two tools provide software developers a full system solution for the development of automotive safety applications.

The need for safe and reliable mobility solutions continues to increase as consumers become more reliant on advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) like lane departure warning and blind-spot detection. These applications require new technologies like Infineon’s AURIX TC4x family of multi-core microcontrollers. Developers require versatile and easy-to-use development environments and high-performance hardware debuggers to aid in the development of these advanced safety applications.

The iC7mini is the latest generation of the proven BlueBox hardware debugger. The iC7mini brings faster response times and improved performance to software development, enabling a smoother GUI and API experience. The new and improved ECU interface ensures signal integrity is maintained in even the most demanding environments. Additional advancements allow testing in the Continuous Integration domain to be twice as fast, and the ability to work in a global development environment with remote ‘debug’ farms has been significantly improved.

SmartCode v10.2r1, the latest version of the integrated development environment for the AURIX TC4x family, now supports all the architectures and microprocessor cores integrated in the TC4x. SmartCode is based on the Eclipse IDE and can be used with both Windows and Linux hosts. A Safety & Security Manual for TriCore and the Parallel Processing Unit is included for tool qualification. The development environment complies with industry-leading standards, including ISO/IEC 9899:1999(E), ISO/IEC 14882:2011, MISRA C, CERT C, TriCore EABI v3.1, Synopsis ARC EV7xFS EABI, ANSI/IEEE-754 and ELF/DWARF.

SmartCode allows connection to the hardware target via the iC7mini, and the ability to debug ‘TriCore cores’ via the Infineon miniWiggler is also included. SmartCode now contains an Eclipse plug-in which allows it to access the powerful and versatile winIDEA IDE.

UVeye Inspection at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan

Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, situated on 11th Avenue between 53rd and 54th Street, is proudly debuting their latest cutting-edge technology in tandem with UVeye. The installation of an Automated Vehicle Inspection machine will be an integral piece within the facility’s Lower-Level service lane driveway. Positioned as the first Northeastern Mercedes-Benz dealer to embrace this innovation, Mercedes-Benz Manhattan prides this installation as it underscores the dealer’s commitment to staying at the forefront of automotive technology and capitalizing on an elevated customer experience.

The UVeye system uses advanced artificial intelligence and computer vision to conduct comprehensive inspections of vehicles, providing a level of precision and efficiency unmatched in traditional examination methods. UVeye’s solutions include scanning the underbody of the vehicle for leaks or mechanical issues, all four tires for both sidewall and tread related concerns and exterior imperfections such as scratches and dents.This ensures that every Mercedes-Benz passenger or commercial vehicle leaving the MBM facility not only meets but exceeds the highest standards of safety and performance.

Customers interacting with this technology can anticipate a streamlined inspection process, reduced wait times, and a comprehensive overview of their vehicle’s service requirements. The UVeye system’s ability to swiftly identify even the slightest imperfections ensures prompt addressing of potential issues, contributing to a smoother ownership experience for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts and the extended MBM family. Other features such as checking tire tread depth, alignment issues, and even expiry date can make sure that MBM customers drive safe on the road.

Secondmind Expands AI Partnership with Mazda

Secondmind announced the expansion of its long-standing strategic partnership with Mazda to drive AI-fueled innovations that address the increasing engineering complexity in automotive design and development. The extended partnership centers around R&D and the commercial deployment of solutions that support systems engineering and validation processes, with the goal of unlocking time and cost efficiencies through increased virtualization in design and development, and a sharp focus on strategic applications with high complexity barriers to overcome.

As a key element of the expanded relationship, Mazda joined a new $16 million funding round in Secondmind alongside existing Secondmind investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, and Cambridge Innovation Capital, signalling strong support for Secondmind leadership, innovative Active Learning technology, product differentiation, and the company’s opportunity in the automotive sector.

The new funding, which includes conversion of a Future Fund note, will enable Secondmind to scale key aspects of its business, including ramping up sales and marketing and accelerating development of the company’s award-winning, cloud-native Secondmind Optimization Engine.

The extension of the strategic partnership builds on more than three years of collaboration with increased support of Mazda’s advanced AI research and education strategy. Secondmind will serve as a guide to the Cambridge AI ecosystem to bring more advanced AI solutions to automotive engineering as a key component of the partnership.

Gary Brotman, Chief Executive Officer at Secondmind, said: “Secondmind and Mazda have been aligned from day one around a common goal of enabling continuous optimization of vehicle design and performance and helping the automotive industry deliver in the era of the software-defined vehicle. This expanded strategic partnership agreement strengthens our long-standing relationship of deep collaboration, and we are proud to support Mazda in opening new avenues for AI innovation in automotive engineering by way of Mazda’s advanced AI research and education strategy. We’re excited to welcome Mazda as an investor in this funding round alongside Amadeus Capital Partners, Atlantic Bridge, and Cambridge Innovation Capital, and we look forward to leveraging this infusion of capital to accelerate the development and commercial deployment of more high-value system design optimization and calibration applications for Mazda and the automotive industry at large.”

Naohito Saga, Executive Officer in charge of R&D strategy planning at Mazda, said: “The automotive industry needs to further accelerate the speed and efficiency of development due to the diversification of market needs and the increasing sophistication and complexity of technology, and we hope that our partnership with Secondmind will bring out-of-the-box thinking and innovative technology to Mazda. We look forward to the partnership with Secondmind contributing to the further evolution of Mazda’s vehicle manufacturing.”

Hermann Hauser, Co-Founder and Venture Partner, Amadeus Capital Partners, said: “We have backed Secondmind since its earliest stages when it was one of the first companies we found developing practical applications for AI. Still true to this mission, Secondmind’s strategic focus on the automotive industry has proven highly successful and its partnership with Mazda is testament to this. We are pleased to partner with such an industry leader in the latest investment round.”

Kevin Dillon, Managing Partner, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, said: “As a major investor in Secondmind since 2017, Atlantic Bridge Ventures remains committed to helping the company capitalize on strong demand for its ground-breaking machine learning solutions for precision engineering, and we are excited to welcome Mazda, an automotive engineering innovator, as a strategic investor in Secondmind. We firmly believe in Secondmind’s potential to catalyze transformative automotive design and development efficiencies in the era of the software-defined vehicle.”

Ian Lane, Partner, Cambridge Innovation Capital, said: “We are delighted to be part of Secondmind’s mission to transform the design of sustainable vehicles through the power of AI and machine learning. We congratulate Gary and his team on the expansion of their groundbreaking partnership with Mazda, which places Cambridge at the heart of global efforts to accelerate the automotive industry’s transition towards a carbon-neutral future. Secondmind’s AI and cloud-native optimization solutions arm engineers with the tools and confidence to reimagine the development and driving experience of electric vehicles, enabling continuous enhancements in energy efficiency and performance throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.”