Connected Car News: MIPI Alliance, LG, Sibros, VW,  Audi & Renesas

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In connected car news are MIPI Alliance, LG, Sibros, VW,  Audi and Renesas.

MIPI A-PHY v2.0

The MIPI Alliance, an international organization that develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries,  announced the release of MIPI A-PHY v2.0, the next version of the automotive high-speed asymmetric serializer-deserializer (SerDes) physical-layer interface. Version 2.0 doubles the maximum available downlink data rate from 16 Gigabits per second (Gbps) to 32 Gbps on a single channel, as well as adds an additional uplink gear with an eight-fold speed boost to support up to 1.6 Gbps. These enhancements are designed to support the higher bandwidth requirements for zonal and other emerging architectures in next-generation vehicles.

board sensors and displays for applications such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), modern digital cockpits, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and autonomous driving systems (ADS).

A-PHY offers a reach of up to 15 meters, unprecedented reliability with an ultra-low packet error rate of 10-19 over a vehicle’s lifetime, high noise immunity and ultra-low latency, along with very low bandwidth channel requirements. It also forms the foundation of MIPI’s Automotive SerDes Solutions (MASS), an end-to-end framework for connecting cameras, sensors and displays with built-in functional safety, security and data protection.

Key Features of A-PHY v2.0

MIPI A-PHY v2.0 features forward-looking enhancements in recognition of the increasing bandwidth and performance requirements needed for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), and zonal and other emerging vehicle architectures:

  • PAM4 support now extends up to gear 5 (up to 16 Gbps).
  • The addition of two new gears, G6 and G7, with PAM8 and PAM16 encoding, for speeds 24 and 32 Gbps, respectively.
  • A faster 1.6 Gbps uplink gear, more than 8 times the data rate of the previous uplink gear, providing support for symmetrical 1 Gbps Ethernet channels over A-PHY links for command and control of automotive peripherals.

To aid implementation, no changes were made in the upper layers of A-PHY v2.0 so that migration from previous versions would have minimal impact. Version 2.0 is fully interoperable with A-PHY v1.1 and v1.0, and devices using all three specifications can coexist on the same network.

“MIPI A-PHY continues to evolve to provide unprecedented bandwidth and increased implementation flexibility while still maintaining its superior noise immunity and resiliency,” said Sanjiv Desai, chair of MIPI Alliance. “This new version allows A-PHY to meet an even greater range of speed and design needs, and provides a strong roadmap to address the future demands of the rapidly evolving automotive industry.”

Compliance Program Development Continues

To support testing and implementation, MIPI Alliance is developing a compliance program to provide OEMs and device manufacturers with assurance that their devices are compliant with the A-PHY specification. The program is being introduced in a phased approach, with the next test event scheduled for early December 2024.

LG Vehicle Solutions LG NOVA

LG NOVA, LG Electronics’ North America Innovation Center, and LG Electronics’ fast-growing vehicle components solutions business, LG Vehicle component Solutions Company’s (LG Vehicle Solutions) are partnering to explore collaborations in mobility sector with startups.

Announced  at LG NOVA INNOFEST 2024, LG Vehicle Solutions new alliance with LG NOVA is expected to expand partnerships with global automakers and tech suppliers, in collaboration with startups working to accelerate mobility innovations and evolve how the world moves people, products and services. Interested startups should submit their ideas for consideration at www.lgnova.com/join-the-mission/.

As a leading provider of mobility solutions, LG Vehicle Solutions will offer institutional knowledge across its core competencies, backed by LG’s legacy of innovation, to startups selected for the program, as they explore new opportunities alongside LG in emerging automotive technology segments, from software and data management to AI, IoT and MaaS (mobility as a service).

LG NOVA helps create opportunities for startups to partner with LG and other industry leaders to grow their business, achieve commercial goals and work toward transforming the way people live their daily lives. LG NOVA’s new Partner Alliance Program enables cross-industry collaboration to catalyze the growth of innovations for the future. For innovation partners, startups help introduce new market opportunities, technology developments, or ideas, extending business into new areas while addressing the changing needs of their customers.

“Our goal is to push boundaries and do something different. With LG Vehicle Solutions on board, we have the distinctive combination of mobility technology experts paired with our business innovators to work closely with startups and partners to drive innovation across the automotive industry for the benefit of drivers everywhere,” said Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, LG Electronics’ corporate executive vice president for innovation and head of LG NOVA.

The fourth annual LG NOVA INNOFEST will take place on Sept. 25-26 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The two-day event brings a cross-section of business leaders, innovators and investors across various industries together to collaborate on solutions for a better future, in line with the theme, “Lighting the Halo of Innovation.”

“Our collaboration with LG NOVA will enable us to work closely with startups to uncover new, innovative ideas and technologies. This partnership will allow us to jointly explore new opportunities in the mobility sector which will shape the future of automotive technology and driving advancements, while supporting startups in realizing their solutions and gaining a competitive edge in the global mobility market,” said Seok-hyun Eun, president of LG Vehicle Solutions.

To learn more about LG Vehicle Solutions, visit https://www.lg.com/global/mobility. To learn more about LG NOVA INNOFEST 2024, visit https://innofest.lgnova.com. To learn more about innovation at LG NOVA, visit https://www.lgnova.com.

Sibros’ Platform for FutureMotiv

Sibros, a leader in Software-Defined  Vehicle systems and solutions announced  that FutureMotiv has selected Sibros’ Deep  Connected Platform to enhance its diverse portfolio of engineering services for automotive  OEMs globally.

The collaboration aims to deliver advanced connected vehicle technologies to OEMs globally,  combining Sibros’ Deep Connected Platform with FutureMotiv’s extensive expertise in system integration, functional safety, and vehicle software development.

FutureMotiv, part of the RLE International Group, specializes in delivering end-to-end  engineering solutions across a broad spectrum of automotive applications, including electric  vehicle (EV) technologies, functional safety, cybersecurity, and embedded systems. With a proven track record of supporting OEMs in the development of complex vehicle systems, FutureMotiv’s role as a system integrator will help automotive manufacturers seamlessly implement Sibros’ configurable data logging, software update and remote command management technologies into their vehicle architectures.

Through this partnership, the two companies will enable OEMs to deploy scalable and secure connected vehicle solutions, providing a path toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs) that deliver enhanced digital experiences and improved vehicle performance.

Key Partnership Highlights:

  • System Integration Excellence: FutureMotiv will integrate and deploy Sibros’ suite of  embedded systems and cloud products, offering value added services in connectivity,  cybersecurity, and functional safety, while ensuring compliance with regional  standards.
  • Scalability and Support: Sibros will provide cloud-based tools, training, and support,  enabling FutureMotiv to deploy solutions seamlessly, with a focus on validation,  technical support, and testing.
  • Market Expansion: Together, FutureMotiv and Sibros will provide OEMs with  comprehensive connected solutions globally, offering automakers access to advanced  technologies for new connected apps and services.
  • Joint Go-to-Market: Sibros and FutureMotiv will co-lead customer workshops, driving  the adoption of connected vehicle technologies across key markets.

Industry-Leading Solutions for Automotive OEMs:

Sibros’ Deep Connected Platform provides a unified framework for managing vehicle software,  data, and diagnostics throughout the vehicle lifecycle. OEMs leveraging Sibros’ platform gain  the ability to execute over-the-air (OTA) updates, collect real-time data, and orchestrate  remote diagnostic commands.

With a focus on cutting-edge technology, FutureMotiv brings its expertise in functional safety,  cybersecurity, embedded control systems, and low carbon system development to the  forefront, ensuring that Sibros’ connected vehicle solutions are deployed in compliance with  industry standards and tailored to meet the unique needs of each OEM. FutureMotiv’s end-to end system integration services span the entire product lifecycle, from concept design to series  production, making them an ideal partner for Sibros.

“Partnering with FutureMotiv allows us to accelerate the deployment of our connected vehicle  solutions while focusing on our core product development,” said Erik Mekelburg, Chief  Revenue Officer at Sibros. “Their expertise in system integration, coupled with our robust  technology, creates a winning combination for automotive OEMs seeking to stay ahead in the  rapidly evolving world of software-defined vehicles.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Sibros and help drive innovation in the software-defined  vehicle space,” said Mark Basten, MD at FutureMotiv. “This partnership enables us to offer our  customers cutting-edge technology that unlocks the full potential of embedded connectivity,  underpinned by robust cybersecurity and systems validation.”

VW & Audi Improve Road Traffic Data

The Volkswagen Group aims to further increase traffic safety for all road users. The Group brands plan to use sensor and, more recently, image data from customer vehicles in road traffic to continuously optimize driver assistance systems and automated driving functions. Customers will benefit from the improvements through software updates in the vehicle. The continuously improved driving functions enhance driving comfort and contribute positively to overall traffic safety. High-quality data from real traffic situations are central to this continuous optimization of powerful assistance systems. The basic prerequisite for their processing is customer consent, and all data protection regulations are observed. The Volkswagen Group aims to start this initiative in Germany from the fourth quarter of 2024, initially with models from the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi brands. Other Group brands plan to gradually join the initiative and prepare their product portfolios accordingly.

The large fleet of vehicles from the Volkswagen Group already contributes to increasing overall traffic safety today. Among other things, the vehicles generate high-resolution maps using anonymized swarm data. This “wisdom of the crowd” helps vehicles with lane guidance in areas without road markings. Precise driving instructions and hazard information, which can be narrowed down by local weather, are also possible.

Developers now aim to continuously optimize driver assistance systems with high-quality data from customer vehicles in real traffic situations. Such data are more everyday-relevant compared to tests with development vehicles or computer simulations. The goal is to make driver assistance systems as precise and smooth as possible. Users should perceive them as comfortable and useful and ideally always keep them activated. Active assistance systems offer increased safety for all: both the vehicles with activated systems and the road users in the immediate vicinity benefit from them.

Specific data transfer in defined scenarios

For their work, developers focus on specific situations where driver assistance systems are particularly useful. Data transfer from the vehicle is triggered only in narrowly defined scenarios. Such triggers can include the use of the emergency brake assistant, manual full braking, and sudden evasive maneuvers. Continuous data transfer for this purpose does not occur.

Certain sensor, function, and image data are particularly relevant for development work. These include camera images of the vehicle’s surroundings and detection results from the environment sensors, as well as the direction of travel, speed, and steering angle. Information on weather, visibility, and lighting conditions also plays an important role.

CARIAD provides technical backbone for data transfer

CARIAD’s cloud platform connects to the vehicle’s onboard computers via a specially developed data interface and enables secure data transfer to a protected area. Initially, models from the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi brands equipped with the E3 1.1 and E3 1.2 architectures have been technically enabled for image data transfer. This includes the all-electric ID. model family from Volkswagen, as well as new models from Audi: Q6 e-tron, A6 e-tron, A5, and Q5. Both brands plan to start the project later in 2024. Other Group brands plan to gradually join the initiative and prepare their product portfolios accordingly.

Customer consent is the fundamental prerequisite for the transfer and processing of data. This consent can be given in various ways and will be individually designed by the brands, for example, as an option in the customer’s own profile. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Data transfer may also affect pedestrians and cyclists

Data collection and transfer may also affect other vehicles or road users such as pedestrians and cyclists in the immediate vicinity. This is particularly important as camera-based systems need to visually classify objects clearly even under adverse conditions and correctly assess complex traffic situations. Examples include busy supermarket parking lots or turn lanes with crossing bike paths. All data protection regulations are, of course, observed. Individual information about people in the traffic environment is not relevant.

Interested parties can view the recording conditions and data protection declarations online and request further information. The first brands in the group to provide this information are Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi . Other group brands will follow with their information at the start of their respective projects.

Renesas R-Car SoC for ADAS

Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions,  expanded its popular R-Car Family of system-on-chips (SoCs) for entry-level Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The new devices, the R-Car V4M series and the expansion of the existing R-Car V4H series, deliver robust AI processing capability and fast CPU performance, while carefully balancing performance and power consumption. Their exceptional TOPS/W performance and power-optimized features make them ideal for entry-level, cost-sensitive ADAS applications such as front smart camera systems, surround-view systems, automatic parking and driver monitoring systems.

Based on the same advanced 7-nm manufacturing process technology as the powerful R-Car V4H series, the new R-Car V4M series delivers deep learning performance of up to 17 TOPS and boasts high-speed image processing and precise object recognition using on-board cameras, radar and LiDAR. With the addition of the new R-Car V4M and R-Car V4H devices, customers can now select the best suited SoC option in a scalable Renesas ADAS portfolio. These devices offer advanced AI technology, performance and power efficiency to meet a diverse array of ADAS application requirements. The new devices maintain pin compatibility within the same series and software compatibility with existing R-Car products, allowing OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to reuse existing software and reduce engineering costs.

“We are extending our ADAS offerings to meet the increasing demand for Level 1 and Level 2 ADAS solutions for mass-market vehicles,” said Aish Dubey, Vice President & General Manager, High Performance Computing SoC Business Division at Renesas. “At the same time, we are developing our new 5th Generation R-Car SoCs, which will further bolster our offerings in ADAS, cockpit, gateway, and infotainment segments. We are committed to offer the broadest range of automotive embedded processor solutions for all vehicle classes — from entry-level to luxury-class models — all under a single development platform.”

The R-Car V4M and R-Car V4H series feature up to four Arm® Cortex®-A76 cores delivering up to 81K DMIPS performance for application processing. It also comes with three Arm Cortex-R52 lockstep cores with up to 25K DMIPS performance for real-time operation. The new devices are extremely power efficient, providing 9 TOPS/W performance, thanks to their highly integrated design and leading-edge manufacturing process technology. In a typical full-feature smart camera with an 8-megapixel sensor, the R-Car V4M consumes around 5 watts of power – 50 percent less than similar devices on the market.

To date, Renesas has shipped over 450 million automotive-grade R-Car devices, including those meeting ASIL D quality rating, which represents the highest rating for risk reduction.

R-Car Open Access (RoX) Platform Available for SDV Development

Automotive engineers developing with the R-Car V4M series and R-Car V4H series can enjoy the latest features of the full SDV development environment offered by Renesas. The newly launched R-Car Open Access (RoX) SDV platform integrates all essential hardware, operating systems (OS), software and tools needed for automotive developers to rapidly develop next-generation vehicles with secure and continuous software updates. RoX allows OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers the flexibility to virtually design a broad range of scalable compute solutions for ADAS, IVI, gateway, and cross-domain fusion systems as well as body control, domain, and zone control systems. The platform comes with a Software Development Kit (SDK) and the AI Workbench, which enables developers to validate and optimize their models and test their applications all in the cloud.

Key Features of the R-Car V4M Series and R-Car V4H Series

  • Up to four Arm® Cortex®-A76 cores for application processing
  • Up to three Arm Cortex-R52 lockstep cores to support ASIL D real-time operation without external MCUs
  • Low power consumption
  • Fast boot for camera display (Less than 1 second)
  • Expandable memory size AUTOSAR software partition
  • Dedicated automotive interfaces: CAN, Ethernet AVB, TSN and FlexRay
  • BOM optimized for NCAP, GSR2, L2+ with a single chip SoC without external MCUs
  • Scalability across the R-Car Family
  • Dedicated power management ICs (PMIC) and power transistors available
  • Dedicated Deep Learning & Computer Vision IP
  • 3D Graphic processor Unit (GPU)
  • Image Signal Processor (ISP) with parallel processing for machine and human vision
  • Image renderer (IMR) for fisheye distortion correction or other mathematical operations

Verra Mobility Survey Digital Wallet Appealing

Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced today the results of a new survey of 2,000 Americans who own or lease a vehicle 2019 or newer. The survey, which was conducted by Verra Mobility’s Commercial Services business, explored attitudes and awareness around connected vehicle features. The survey found that over half of Americans find the idea of a vehicle being a “digital wallet” appealing, and 54% would enable such a feature if available.

In 2020, 91% of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were considered connected, and this number is projected to grow. The U.S is the largest market for connected vehicles. According to Statista, it is projected that by 2025, there will be over 400 million connected cars in operation worldwide, up from approximately 237 million in 2021.

According to the Verra Mobility survey, 59% of Americans stated they were familiar with the term connected vehicle, and the results were split on perceived definition, with 25% stating they believed a connected vehicle meant a vehicle that can connect to a smartphone device.

In terms of connected vehicle adoption, the survey found:

  • 62% were aware of connected vehicle services available through their vehicle.
  • 49% were currently using at least one connected vehicle service.
  • 40% had paid for or renewed a subscription, such as a vehicle manufacturer’s app.
  • 39% reported signing up for a connected vehicle service using the vehicle’s infotainment system.

“Utilizing a vehicle as a digital wallet to pay for services such as tolls, parking and maintenance is the next frontier for OEMs and consumers,” said Cathi Chinn, VP of Innovation for Verra Mobility’s Commercial Services business. “When it comes to connected vehicles, we are just getting started. I believe the number of drivers opting into these types of services and seeing value from them will continue to grow exponentially in the coming years.”

Other interesting survey findings included:

  • 57% of Americans say connected vehicle services are a reason they would spend more on a vehicle.
  • 70% of Americans would prefer to not have to connect their smartphone to their vehicle to enable digital services.
  • 50% of respondents would like their vehicle to be another digital wallet to make automatic payments.
  • 53% of respondents would prefer using their car vs. their phone to pay for services.
  • 34% of Americans would prefer to pay for tolls directly through vehicle connected services.

To download the full report detailing the survey findings, visit: https://www.verramobility.com/connected-vehicle-survey/

“These results echo the value consumers of our members’ products and services expect when using a connected vehicle,” said Steve Crumb, Executive Director at the Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance (COVESA), an open global technology alliance accelerating the full potential of connected vehicles. “Awareness and ease of use are the two most important steps in connected feature adoption and once people understand how these services work and the value they provide, they are more likely to use them. Verra Mobility’s contributions to COVESA’s work to expand digital commerce in the vehicle, including tolling, is appreciated and has great potential for bringing increased value to the consumer.”

Survey Methodology
The data was derived from a survey by Verra Mobility conducted online via Pollfish between July 11-12, 2024. 2,000 Americans who own or lease a vehicle 2019 or newer completed the survey. For the purposes of this survey, connected vehicle services were defined as services that utilize data from a vehicle’s native internet connection, such as vehicle manufacturer apps used to see a vehicle’s location and remotely start the vehicle, etc. The survey noted that services used in the vehicle through a mobile phone like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto were not considered Connected Vehicle Services for the purposes of this survey.