In autonomous and self-driving vehicle news are Tesla, Perrone Robotics, Inceptio, Hyundai, BrightDrive, SiMa.ai, TIER IV, Auve Tech & AVL.
Robotaxi for Tesla in August
Elon Musk via X announced that Tesla will reveal “Tesla Robotaxi on 8/8.”
Perrone Robotics in Detroit
The City of Detroit, in collaboration with Bedrock, Michigan Central and the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), announced announced plans to pilot a two-way 10.8-mile autonomous vehicle (AV) shuttle route – the Connect – that will run between Michigan Central to Bedrock’s 200 Walker Street on the east riverfront. The Bedrock property is home of the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design and its newly opened Foot Locker Footwear Creation Stu/deo.
The Connect pilot service will open to the public this summer and be provided at no cost to riders. The joint project has received $1.5 million in funding for its first-year operations, with major contributions from key partners: $500,000 from Michigan Central, $500,000 from Bedrock, and $500,000 from the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME).
The Connect is geared toward learning and refining an autonomous vehicle (AV) transit service to meet the diverse needs of the surrounding community. This shuttle service pilot is an example of future transportation innovation taking place in Detroit and the Michigan Central development area, with the goal of setting a new standard for sustainable, efficient, and community-centric mobility.
Collaboration is the key to success in innovation
Led by the City of Detroit, the Consortium comprises stakeholders dedicated to advancing the future of sustainable and innovative urban mobility. Members formalized their commitment through a Collaboration Agreement, building upon the foundation laid in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in February 2023.
The Consortium aims to create a publicly accessible, financially sustainable service with a dedicated route for the AV transit pilot, focusing on equitable and sustainable transit within the city.
The project leaders are working to ensure the sustainable extension of the pilot shuttle service for years to come, complementing, not replacing, existing Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) services. This initiative aims to enhance the overall mobility network for the Detroit community by working alongside existing transportation options.
“The Connect pilot signifies a bold leap toward sustainable and efficient mobility in our city. Through collaborative efforts, we not only aim to provide a reliable and efficient transportation experience connecting neighborhoods, transit routes and modes, and economic hubs but also position Detroit at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle race. This project is pivotal for maintaining our city’s leadership in the industry, offering benefits such as job growth and skills training with new technology. Our overarching goal is to deploy the technology of tomorrow in a manner that ensures accessibility and invites feedback from all Detroiters, shaping a more connected and vibrant future for our community,” said Tim Slusser, chief of the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation.
Guided by the Office of Mobility Innovation, the City of Detroit will lead community outreach initiatives with residents before deployment, aiming to share finalized project details, including service operations and pick-up locations, and gather insights to enhance the service and ensure a high-quality rider experience.
“We are proud to partner with the City of Detroit and Michigan Central to enhance accessibility and connectivity in Detroit,” said Kofi Bonner, CEO at Bedrock. “Investing in reliable, sustainable last-mile transit options is crucial for creating a vibrant city core. Implementing innovations like the Connect pilot further solidifies Detroit’s leadership in sustainable mobility.”
Bedrock, along with Michigan Central, will partner with the City on planning, designing, and implementing the infrastructure essential to facilitate and support the operations of the Connect pilot.
“Michigan Central is focused on finding real solutions to the challenges society faces with the way we move people and goods. This pilot is an opportunity to explore a new way to think about public transportation that works in tandem with the city’s existing bus system while expanding access to more people and places,” said Carolina Pluszczynski, Michigan Central’s chief operating officer and head of Innovation Services.
On behalf of the Consortium, NEXT Infrastructure is leading the project management and implementation of the pilot. Leveraging a proven track record navigating complex and innovative projects to successful completion, NEXT will manage the integration of all program components, facilitate collaboration between the partners, and execute on pilot objectives to improve Detroit’s urban mobility.
“Detroit is stepping boldly into the future of urban transportation, and we’re honored to play a pivotal role in managing the Connect pilot program,” said Daniel Hansen, Managing Partner at NEXT Infrastructure. “We are dedicated to ensuring this pilot program not only upholds Detroit’s legacy as a hub of automotive innovation, but also serves as a model for sustainable urban mobility nationwide.”
Perrone Robotics, Inc. has been selected as the partner for the Connect pilot. The selection process considered technological expertise, reliability, and a shared vision for the future of urban mobility.
“Perrone Robotics is thrilled to partner with the City of Detroit, Michigan Central, and Bedrock on this transformative project,” states Paul Perrone, CEO of Perrone Robotics. “As we bring our 20+ years AV expertise and AV technology to the storied streets of Detroit, we’re not just deploying shuttles; we’re weaving the fabric of the future into the rich tapestry of a city renowned for its automotive heritage. This pilot is a testament to Detroit’s resilience and innovation, and together, we’re driving towards a more sustainable, accessible, and connected urban experience.”
Upon initial deployment, the Connect pilot will feature four Ford E-Transit shuttles. The all-electric shuttles include a blend of passenger seats and wheelchair accessibility, with a safety operator always behind the wheel. Shuttles will utilize Perrone Robotics’ TONY AV Kit for autonomous vehicle operations on the 10-mile route. Onboard sensors and AV software will help the shuttle navigate a pre-programmed route, avoid obstacles, and perform maneuvers. Riders will be able to download an app to access route and operational details.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
This fleet being all-electric supports the City’s goal of a zero-emission public transportation system. Alongside environmental commitment, the Connect pilot creates job opportunities for Detroit residents and will provide training in advanced skills related to autonomous vehicle software and technology.
This dual-purpose program not only promotes a cleaner transportation system but also stimulates economic growth, empowering locals with expertise in the evolving field of autonomous transportation.
Next Steps
The Connect shuttles will go through several months of testing, both off-road and on-road, before being introduced for public use. Testing will be integral to finalizing the route details and ensuring the efficiency and safety of the service for riders and other road users. The Connect pilot, set to commence operations in late summer 2024, marks a significant step forward in a connected, sustainable, and innovative future for Detroit’s transportation.
Inceptio Autonomous Driving System Efficiency for Cold-chain Logistics Providers in China
Inceptio Technology (“Inceptio,” or the “Company”), China’s leading developer of autonomous driving technologies for heavy-duty trucks, today outlined how its autonomous driving solutions are increasingly being adopted by cold-chain logistics providers in China to improve cost savings and efficiency gains on long-haul delivery routes. Inceptio’s longtime customer, Shandong Deshun Cold Chain Logistics (“Deshun Logistics”), has deployed Inceptio’s Autonomous Driving System along multiple routes since August 2023. Inceptio recently released a short video detailing how Deshun Logistics is deploying Inceptio-powered trucks across its network which can be found here.
Deshun Logistics is an SME with a fleet of over 100 trucks providing cold chain logistics services across several provinces, including Shandong, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia in northern China where it has operated 3 6X4 heavy-duty trucks equipped with the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System.
Lianfu Yu, CEO of Deshun Logistics, got behind the wheel to try several of the Inceptio-powered trucks himself. Yu, who has worked as both a driver and a fleet team leader in his career, described the Inceptio driving experience as a gamechanger: “In conventional driving, you use your hands, feet, eyes, and brain. With Inceptio, you only need to use your brain, which causes noticeably less fatigue. If you do feel sleepy, the truck is equipped with effective alerts and alarms to prevent an accident.”
Yu was impressed by the intelligence and reliability of the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System: “Whether I was on Beijing’s Sixth Ring Road or on the expressway in Inner Mongolia, the Inceptio truck automatically changed lanes and avoided other vehicles. The system made sound decisions and executed them in a highly efficient way.”
As a logistics company CEO, Yu’s top priority is safety, and he says that having Inceptio trucks on the road helps him sleep better at night. “More than half of our drivers have worked for the company for more than 10 years, and we are committed to keeping them safe. Autonomous driving technologies are helping us do that,” Yu said. Mr. Ding, a fleet team leader with Deshun Logistics, agreed that the Inceptio trucks offered a significant upgrade in this area: “The autonomous driving experience is much better in terms of driver safety,” he said.
“These safety benefits also help the company’s bottom line in the form of reduced insurance premiums,” Yu added. And that’s just the beginning of the cost savings. “In the past, a trip of 1,000 kilometers required two drivers, but the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System enables us to operate those routes with only one driver,” said Yu. “It also saves us hundreds of RMB per route by reducing fuel consumption by 5 liters per 100km. Altogether, the annual cost to operate each truck is nearly halved, which is why we are prioritizing Inceptio trucks in our future procurement plans.”
Ding added that Deshun Logistics is passing on some of the savings to drivers, boosting incomes across the fleet: “For example, let’s say we would have earned RMB3,000 for the 600-kilometer round trip. Two drivers would previously have split that. Now, that RMB3,000 goes to a single driver. In addition, the company saves around RMB400 in fuel costs for the journey. The system reduces our fatigue and allows us to drive longer distances each day and earn more, it’s amazing!”
Inceptio founder and CEO Julian Ma said: “We are extremely proud of the safety and efficiency improvements that Inceptio trucks are providing to small and medium sized logistics companies like Deshun Logistics. Inceptio’s solutions deliver better on-time performance and significant cost savings whether implemented on a single truck or across a large fleet. We are working with customers of all sizes to make roads safer and logistics more reliable for everyone.”
BrightDrive & SiMa.ai
BrightDrive, a leader in autonomous driving technology, announced a strategic partnership with SiMa.ai, the software centric, embedded edge machine learning system-on-chip company, aimed at accelerating innovation in autonomous driving. This collaboration combines SiMa.ai’s cutting-edge MLSoC™ with BrightDrive’s advanced hardware platform to deliver new advancements in self-driving systems.
BrightDrive’s Autonomous Driving HW Platform, designed to handle and scale self-driving applications from Level 1 to 5, is set to redefine the future of transportation. With powerful processing capabilities, high data bandwidth, and low power consumption, the ASIL D platform sets a new standard for safety, efficiency, and scalability in autonomous driving. The platform is expected to be delivered by late 2026.
“We are thrilled about our collaboration with SiMa.ai,” said Hossam Yahia, CEO of BrightDrive. “This partnership marks the launch of the A-Sample of our advanced BrightDrive autonomous driving Platform, showcasing significant performance capabilities. Subsequent samples will include more sensor interfaces, AUTOSAR, ISO26262, and ISO 21434 compliance. Together, we aim to unlock new levels of performance and efficiency in our autonomous driving solutions, paving the way for safer and more advanced transportation systems.”
SiMa.ai’s purpose-built MLSoC™ platform offers exceptional performance, enabling effortless deployment and scaling of machine learning models at the embedded edge. With a focus on computer vision applications, SiMa.ai’s technology delivers superior performance at the lowest power, making it an ideal solution for accelerating perception algorithms in autonomous driving systems.
“Our collaboration with BrightDrive demonstrates our commitment to driving innovation in advanced driver assistance, from level 1 to level 5. SiMa.ai brings the missing piece of the puzzle: extremely high performance with very low power consumption,” said Harald Kroeger, head of automotive business at SiMa.ai.
The partnership between BrightDrive and SiMa.ai will be showcased at the upcoming Embedded World Conference on April 9 – 11, 2024, providing attendees with the opportunity to experience a live demonstration of sensor fusion technology. The demo, featuring a fusion of 4 Cameras and 2 LIDAR sensors in real time, highlights the seamless integration of SiMa.ai with BrightDrive’s HW platform.
Together, BrightDrive and SiMa.ai are poised to redefine the future of autonomous driving technology, delivering solutions that are safer, more efficient, and scalable, transforming transportation as we know it.
SiMa.ai will be presenting at Embedded World April 9-11, 2024, and will be stationed at Booth 550 in Hall 2.
Hyundai Shows IONIQ 5 Robotaxi
Hyundai Motor Company has released a campaign film showing the all-electric, self-driving IONIQ 5 robotaxi successfully completing a process similar to a U.S. driver’s license test.
Created to convey the safety and trustworthiness of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi’s autonomous technology, the video features the IONIQ 5 robotaxi completing a series of public-level driving tests, including road driving in Las Vegas, U.S., demonstrating outstanding performance. This achievement underscores the IONIQ 5 robotaxi’s reliability as well as the inclusivity of its autonomous vehicle technology, highlighting its potential to safely provide freedom of mobility to all.
The film starts with an interview with Pearl Outlaw, a visually impaired American woman, and her mother, Ruth. Pearl faces mobility limitations due to her condition, called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which hinders her from obtaining a driver’s license — an essential symbol of independence and freedom for many people.
Pearl’s story highlights everyday mobility challenges for the physically impaired, emphasizing the significance of autonomous driving technology in providing independence. The IONIQ 5 robotaxi promises to fulfill her dream of independent mobility while offering the freedom to explore without reliance on others.
“I’m a DMV Certified Driving Examiner with 25 years of experience. In that time, I’ve failed thousands and thousands of students in the interest of public safety,” said Kandice Jones, the examiner who tested the IONIQ 5 robotaxi. “It’s going to be the same criteria – just like testing a human. We’ll be monitoring the speed, lane changes. I’m going to grade maneuvers, making a complete stop, left turns, maintaining the lane, and of course reaction time.”
In the driving test, conducted by the highly experienced professional examiner, the IONIQ 5 robotaxi excelled, impressing with its speed control, lane changes and maneuvering, its ability to accurately stop at a stop sign, perform left turns, and its reaction time to developing hazards.
Captured in the video, the IONIQ 5 robotaxi effortlessly navigated the Las Vegas Strip, as well as the city’s suburban areas.
The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is the embodiment of transformative technologies in mobility coming together in one vehicle. It signifies the extensive collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and autonomous driving technology developer Motional, spanning years of development and rigorous testing of advanced automotive platforms and self-driving technology. The IONIQ 5 robotaxi achieves consistent driving performance in various driving environments thanks to its suite of advanced sensors, combining LiDAR, radar and cameras.
“As a company that pursues freedom of mobility, we at Hyundai aim to exhibit the safety and trustworthiness of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi through this campaign,” said Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “We will continue our efforts to communicate our AI-based autonomous driving technology, which is set to provide positive changes to our customers’ everyday lives.”
TIER IV & Autoware
TIER IV, a pioneer in open-source software for autonomous driving (AD), Autoware*, is excited to announce the launch of the TIER IV Autoware Partner Program. This new initiative aims to equip partners engaged in autonomous driving with essential training to effectively utilize Autoware, culminating in official certification. Certified partners can benefit from business collaboration opportunities in TIER IV’s projects as well as expedite their own ventures leveraging TIER IV’s solutions.
Companies worldwide are tackling challenges such as driver shortages and accident reduction with autonomous driving. TIER IV, championing an open-source approach, collaborates with global partners through the Autoware Foundation to promote the rollout of autonomous driving.
While Autoware is accessible to all, developing safe and reliable AD systems requires specialized skills to customize solutions that meet the needs of different vehicles and applications. A significant challenge lies in the scarcity of personnel skilled in these areas of expertise.
The TIER IV Autoware Partner Program directly addresses this gap by providing training in the design, deployment and assessment of AD systems with Autoware. Upon completing the training, participants will be certified as TIER IV Autoware Partners, enabling them to get involved in TIER IV-led projects or expand their own businesses with enhanced support from TIER IV.
“The TIER IV Autoware Partner Program is rooted in TIER IV’s vision to reimagine intelligent vehicles, and we believe it is a vital catalyst for creating a sustainable ecosystem where everyone can contribute to propelling AD systems,” stated Shinpei Kato, founder, CEO and CTO of TIER IV. “We are committed to fostering technical capabilities within our partner companies, aiming to accelerate the rollout of autonomous driving.”
TIER IV SBIR
TIER IV, a pioneer in open-source autonomous driving (AD) technology, is proud to announce its selection for a project aimed at demonstrating AD technology for regional public transportation. This project is part of the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) phase 3 funding*. Under the project managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), TIER IV forms a consortium with key companies and institutions involved in autonomous driving, including BOLDLY, Advanced Smart Mobility, Kanagawa Institute of Technology, and the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory. The consortium’s grant ceiling is approximately 7.7 billion yen (approximately 50 million US dollars) over the four-year period from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2027.
The Japanese government has set a goal of establishing AD services to tackle sustainability issues in regional public transportation. The consortium, led by TIER IV, will support efforts to establish safety assessment processes for AD systems and roll out AD services, leveraging the insights gained from past government projects and collective expertise of the members. TIER IV will work with the members to build:
An integrated DevOps framework designed to support Level 4 AD certification:
- Defining operational design domains
- Deriving risk scenarios
- Establishing safety assessment methods using vehicles and simulators
- Creating workflows for manuals ensuring the safe operations of AD systems
- Establishing DevOps processes encompassing design, verification & validation, test and analysis
AD packages tailored for regional stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of AD services within their communities:
- Vehicles compatible with Level 4 regulations
- Safety assessment methods and simulators
- Fleet management systems for autonomous vehicles
- Integration and adaptation manuals for AD services
- Utility tools etc.
Through these efforts, TIER IV and consortium members are poised to contribute to the government’s goal of deploying autonomous vehicles in over 100 cities by 2027, addressing challenges such as driver shortages and other issues facing regional public transportation.
*The Japanese government’s SBIR program provides subsidies for large-scale technology demonstrations (phase 3) conducted by startups and other organizations. The goal is to connect research and development to the implementation of advanced technologies in society.
Auve Tech Mica Shuttle in US
Auve Tech, a pioneer in autonomous transportation systems, based in Tallinn, Estonia, has officially launched its flagship product, the MiCa shuttle, in the US market. The MiCa vehicle offers turnkey autonomous transportation solutions tailored to diverse environments and simple integration into existing transport networks.
In an innovative collaboration, Auve Tech has partnered with Guident to integrate its teleoperation solution into the MiCa autonomous shuttle, amplifying its safety features and augmenting Auve Tech’s advanced autonomous technology.
Guident is excited to announce that the MiCa autonomous shuttle has arrived at their headquarters and integration with Guident’s Remote Monitor and Control Center (RMCC) solution has commenced. As a premier Autonomous Vehicle (AV) teleoperation monitoring company, Guident is proud to collaborate with Auve Tech to integrate our industry-leading AV remote monitoring, control, assistance, and passenger support services with the MiCa, the world’s most compact and flexible level 4 autonomous shuttle.
The culmination of those efforts will be showcased at the Guident Headquarters Inauguration event on April 18, 2024, in Boca Raton, Florida. This event will unveil the fully integrated solution, demonstrating the seamless fusion of Guident’s Remote Monitor and Control Center (RMCC) solution with the MiCa autonomous shuttle.
Johannes Mossov, Board Member at AuVe Tech OÜ, said:
“With MiCa now officially ‘landed’ in the US for market entry, we are glad to join forces with Guident. Together, we are committed to enhancing the safety and efficiency of our MiCa AV shuttles with their advanced remote monitoring and control software. Based on the success in Japan and Europe, we eagerly anticipate rapid deployment of our innovative combined solution in the US and worldwide.”
Harald Braun, Executive Chairman and CEO at Guident Ltd, stated:
“Since establishing our strategic partnership, we have been thrilled to collaborate with the Auve Tech team on several projects. We are particularly excited to achieve a significant milestone with Auve Tech’s entry into the US market coupled with the integration of our advanced teleoperation technology.”
AVL ADET Autonomous End-to-End-Testing
Testing automated and autonomous vehicles is currently a challenging task for the automotive industry. Complex driving functions have to withstand a wide variety of real driving scenarios and environmental conditions. Therefore, the interaction between sensors, control elements, and the vehicle environment is simulated and tested. In order to speed up the development of new functions and their integration, test procedures must be automated and optimally interlinked at every stage of development – from software in the loop to hardware in the loop and real-world road testing. To this end, AVL and its partners have launched the ADET Autonomous End-to-End-Testing initiative to develop a consistent, digital, and automated toolchain. This allows for the number of simulation runs to be increased by a factor of 500 – all while maintaining the same development time.
With digital, automated test workflows and innovative tools, the companies facilitate the effective creation and exchange of test scenarios. Manufacturer and supplier teams can access the results from anywhere and at any time. Any system malfunctions can be detected and eliminated early on in the development process. Thanks to the combined expertise of AVL, Microsoft, Hexagon, Synopsys, and Tracetronic, tests can be planned efficiently, and simulations can be implemented quickly on Microsoft Azure infrastructure. Evaluations and analyses of data and results are automated and exchanged seamlessly. Processes, tools, and test sequences are orchestrated centrally. This architecture will include services like Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) for container orchestration, Azure Batch for auto-scaling, and Azure’s purpose-built HPC/AI compute instances. AI workloads including machine learning operations (MLOps) will be powered by Azure Machine Learning.
Bernhard Mueller-Bessler, Head of Virtual Mobility, Hexagon: “ADET is intended to provide a boost for ADAS tests and in the future also AD tests. We can only be successful if everyone works together – in the right place, at the right time, and in the right constellation. That is why we decided to work as partners rather than individual players.”
Martin Böhm, Head of Autonomous Driving Software Solution, Tracetronic: “The efficiency and performance required to test and validate autonomous driving functions can only be achieved with perfectly coordinated processes and tools from the partners involved. By orchestrating testing in physical and virtual environments, we provide the foundation for distributed and highly scalable execution, enabling fast and precise feedback in the development process.”
Tom De Schutter, Vice President Engineering, Systems Design Group, Synopsys: “The effort and cost required to validate ADAS and automated driving systems are significant. Digital twins of the electronics for these applications address the need to efficiently run software and system tests at lower costs. By contributing to the ADET initiative with our virtual prototyping and testing solutions, Synopsys helps automotive companies to accelerate their software bring-up, software/hardware validation efforts, and to improve their time to market.”
Jens Poggenburg, Executive Vice President AVL: “This initiative offers AVL the opportunity to bring integrated tools for the development process of autonomous and software-oriented vehicles to the market and to make them available to customers in the form of Software-as-a-Service.”
Hermann Erlach, General Manager Microsoft Austria: “Data is the key to developing innovative technology, especially when it comes to automated and autonomous vehicles. The fivefold increase in simulation that runs without longer development times illustrates the transformative power of data. Together with AVL, we are accelerating the new age of mobility – driven by the power of artificial intelligence.”