In autonomous and self-driving vehicle news are Waymo, aiMotive, Luminar, Arbe Robotics, Iveco and LG Innotek.
Waymo Car in Wrong Direction Stopped by Cop Who Can’t Cite a Computer
A Phoenix police officer pulled over a Waymo autonomous vehicle on June 19th after it drove in the wrong direction traffic lane due to construction and reportedly ran a red light. The vehicle, without passengers, eventually stopped to let the officer speak to Waymo support.
The officer mentioned the vehicle’s actions, including driving into opposing traffic and running a red light, in bodycam footage. Despite this, dispatch records noted that the police couldn’t issue a citation to the vehicle itself. Arizona law allows tickets for autonomous vehicles’ violations, but these are typically issued to the vehicle’s owning company, which wasn’t feasible in this case according to a police spokesperson.
aiMotive ISO 26262 Cert
aiMotive, a global leader in automotive simulation technology, has obtained ISO 26262 certification from TÜV Nord for the latest generation of its simulator, aiSim 5. Originally granted in 2020, aiSim was the world’s first simulator for ADAS/AD to achieve this certification!
TÜV Nord has confirmed that aiSim 5 complies with ISO 26262:2018 standards for automotive safety integrity level D (ASIL D). The certification emphasizes the simulator’s physics-based aspects, complete determinism, and adherence to an end-to-end ISO 26262-compliant development process. It covers 33 customer use cases of scenario-based verification and validation, including the simulation of major sensor modalities and all APIs to enable seamless integration with other tools and models.
The unprecedented complexity of the solutions needed for automated driving in the automotive industry can only be solved by relying on the results of massive simulations. It’s important that aiSim 5’s ISO 26262 certification streamlines the validation process for customers. By integrating aiSim into their validation pipelines, customers benefit from simplified compliance with ISO standards, saving time, resources, and costs.
“From the first day of aiSim’s development, we had two goals: on the one hand, to create a tool that closely correlates with real-world testing, from the sensors to the entire vehicle dynamics. On the other hand, to make aiSim automotive-compliant so our customers can rely on an efficient environment simulation with open interfaces covered by the highest safety standards, making the results bit-by-bit reproducible and trustworthy.”—said Szabolcs Janky, SVP of Product for aiMotive’s software tools.
Launched in January 2024, aiSim 5 represents a significant advancement in simulation technology. Powered by AI-based content creation, optimized sensor simulation, and deterministic, reproducible environments, aiSim 5 is also infused with Automotive General Intelligence (AutoGI) to enable an unprecedented scale of virtual contents and environments available for simulation.
Our certified simulator covers the most versatile use cases, from L4 automated truck sensor simulation and electric vehicle ADAS development, to complex real-time HiL simulation and adaptive scenario-based verification and validation.
Luminar Launches Full-Stack Sentinel
Luminar (Nasdaq: LAZR), a leading global automotive technology company, announced it is launching Sentinel1, its full-stack software suite, following five years of breakthrough developments in Software and AI systems. The Sentinel solution enables automakers to accelerate development of advanced safety and autonomous functionality on vehicles, and includes Proactive Safety, Perception, 3D Mapping and Localization, Simulation, and Dynamic LiDAR features. The first shipments occurred this week, and are planned to be delivered to top automakers in the third quarter of this year.
Luminar’s Sentinel suite is a solution currently in-development to enable advanced safety and autonomous functionality with automakers, leveraging Luminar’s LiDAR hardware and AI-based software technologies developed primarily in-house by its software teams in Silicon Valley and Munich, Germany, with support from 3rd party software partners including Scale AI, Applied Intuition, and Civil Maps, which Luminar acquired in 2022. Sentinel differs from full-stack autonomous software solutions from other companies that develop software for driverless robo-taxis. Luminar’s development has focused from the beginning on giving automakers the toolkit of capabilities outlined above to implement next generation safety and autonomous capabilities for consumer production vehicles. With the launch, Sentinel is targeted to be assessed by and integrated into automaker software development efforts.
A recent comprehensive research report by Swiss Re, one of the world’s largest reinsurance companies, demonstrated that cars equipped with Luminar LiDAR and a development version of Sentinel software showed dramatic safety enhancements and a reduction by as much as 40% in accident severity. Details from the Swiss Re study can be found here. Luminar’s foremost goal is improving safety; however, Luminar, automakers, and end consumers can capitalize on the insurance savings to be realized with the safety and damage-reduction benefits of its technology. Luminar expects to monetize some of the benefits internally by launching its own packaged insurance product to automakers and end consumers.
“People know Luminar for pioneering LiDAR systems for global production vehicles, but since 2017 we have also been building next-generation AI-based software for improved safety and autonomy,” said Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar. “The majority of major automakers don’t currently have a software solution for next-generation assisted and autonomous driving systems. Our launch couldn’t be more timely with the new NHTSA mandate for next-generation safety in all US production vehicles by 2029, and as of today, we’re the only solution we know of that meets all of these requirements. This gives us the opportunity to dramatically expand our content value per vehicle in a high-margin capacity.”
Sentinel was first previewed by Luminar as a prototype in 2021 with a fraction of its current capabilities. The Sentinel software included in the kits is in continuous development, with the intent to be evaluated by automakers and technology companies for potential integration into future advanced safety and autonomous driving programs. Sentinel is built to be compatible with almost any consumer and commercial vehicle, including both combustion engine and electric drive train models.
Automakers can find more information about Sentinel and the evaluation program at https://www.luminartech.com/technology#sentinel.
Arbe Robotics Selected by Top OEM
Arbe Robotics Ltd. (Nasdaq: ARBE) (TASE: ARBE), a global leader in Perception Radar solutions, announced that one of the top ten OEMs worldwide has selected Arbe’s chipset for the development of its next-generation imaging radar aimed at serial production. This major milestone underscores Arbe’s leadership in radar technology and paves the way for substantial commercial growth.
The OEM, which is one of the automotive manufacturers named in connection with Arbe’s recent convertible debenture offering on the TASE, has confirmed that preparations for serial production implementation will begin immediately. The selection follows a comprehensive competitive technical evaluation process and field testing of Arbe’s chipset.
The selection of Arbe’s technology presents a significant commercial opportunity due to its applicability across a wide range of vehicle classes. Moreover, this project is slated for an accelerated market entry.
“Being chosen by one of the top OEMs in the world is a landmark achievement for Arbe. We believe that by aligning with a major OEM, Arbe is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for advanced radar systems and expects a ramp-up in sales and market share in the near future,” said Kobi Marenko, CEO of Arbe. “This selection of the Arbe solution following a thorough evaluation validates our technological leadership. We look forward to a successful implementation, which will drive significant value for the industry.”
IVECO Semi-Automated Truck Pilot in Germany
IVECO, the commercial vehicle brand of Iveco Group, and Plus announced with dm-drogerie markt, Europe’s largest home and personal care retail company, and DSV, one of the world’s leading transport and logistics providers, the start of their semi-automated truck pilot in Germany. After several months of stringent testing and validation, the program will use a new production intent design of the IVECO S-Way heavy-duty truck equipped with Plus’s driver-supervised highly automated driving software, PlusDrive®. This brings the PlusDrive-enabled IVECO S-Way one step closer to the start of series production.
The test runs on the route between the dm distribution center in Waghäusel and the DSV distribution center in Gernsheim. In the first phase, drivers from IVECO will be conducting the test and be accompanied by DSV drivers for training. After this, the trained drivers will be able to drive themselves.
By delivering commercial freight for a shipper customer, the program will enable the gathering of real-world data on the operational benefits of the PlusDrive-enabled IVECO S-Way. Benefits demonstrated in other global customer deployments of PlusDrive include reduced driver fatigue, improved road safety, and increased fuel efficiency which in turn decreases carbon emissions.
The program will also validate the readiness of the latest-generation PlusDrive-enabled IVECO S-Way, which has been optimized for series production and delivery of high-performance automated driving features. In the optimized design, advanced sensors have been integrated, and lidar is optional for the vision-centric perception system on PlusDrive. PlusDrive continues to deliver on the highly automated driving features of lane centering, cut-in handling, lane merges, driver-initiated or system-suggested lane changes, traffic jam assist, and nudging, all under the supervision of the driver.
DSV and dm-drogerie markt have been working together in partnership since 1986 and have been jointly developing advanced solutions within their supply chains for years. In 2021, DSV and dm jointly signed a declaration of intent to further promote innovative and sustainable projects. By testing this technology, both companies are once again demonstrating their successful partnership in their shared desire for innovation and future orientation.
“The start of this project will make a significant contribution to the comfort and safety of drivers and ensure that our supply chains run more smoothly and reliably. Our initial aim with this highly automatic technology truck is to work with our partners to gain insights into the potential that the use of these trucks offers for dm in operational implementation,” said Christian Bodi, as dm Managing Director responsible for logistics.
DSV and dm are the first companies in Germany to test the semi-autonomous driver assistance solution in trucks in Europe.
“A decarbonized future requires different technology innovations for different use cases. We are excited to begin the pilot so that we can assess through our own data and operations how IVECO and Plus’s state-of-the-art automated trucks can fit into our future fleet of sustainable transport options,” stated Peter Matthiesen, Senior Director, Head of Group Innovation and Truck Technology at DSV.
Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Iveco Group said: “Data and feedback from customer pilots are key to helping us create innovative and sustainable products that customers value. Our collaboration with dm, DSV, and Plus on this pilot program brings us closer to realizing innovation-driven, safety-enhanced highly automated commercial vehicles. We are excited to empower fleets and truck drivers with the unprecedented potential of these next-generation vehicles.”
“This new milestone of having a production intent design of the PlusDrive-enabled S-Way ready for the pilot resulted from the ongoing tight collaboration between the Plus and IVECO teams. We are thrilled to demonstrate the capabilities and maturity of our autonomous driving software in this pilot for DSV and dm, and start preparing for series production,” added Shawn Kerrigan, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder at Plus.
About dm-drogerie markt
More than 80,000 people work at dm-drogerie markt in more than 4,000 stores across Europe. In the current 14 European countries, dm generated sales of 15.9 billion euros in the 2021/2022 financial year. In the last financial year 2022/2023, around 51,000 dm employees in Germany generated sales of 11.4 billion euros. dm was once again voted the most popular drugstore by customers in the 2023 Kundenmonitor survey. dm is constantly working to improve processes within the company and to live up to its responsibility for sustainable development. You can gain an insight into the diverse sustainability activities in the various areas in our “Report on sustainability” at www.dm.de/Nachhaltigkeitsbericht.
About DSV
DSV A/S is a global transportation and logistics service provider headquartered in Hedehusene (Denmark), offering professional total solutions for all services in modern transportation and warehouse logistics. With its own branches and offices, DSV is active in more than 80 countries and six continents.
About IVECO
IVECO is the brand of Iveco Group N.V. (EXM: IVG) that designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, off-road trucks and vehicles suitable for any body type.
It constantly innovates and extends its product portfolio to provide every customer with the vehicle that matches their mission precisely. Its full-line offer is designed around the Driver’s needs to deliver an excellent experience with a focus on safety and comfort. A wide range of advanced digital, connectivity-enabled services developed to help fleet owners run their fleet efficiently enhance IVECO’s complete transport solution.
IVECO pursues its decarbonization strategy through a multi-energy approach that includes the further development of bio-methane, battery electric and fuel cell technologies.
LG Innotek New Solutions for AD & ADAS
LG Innotek (CEO Moon Hyuksoo) is poised to accelerate growth in the vehicle sensing solution business by leveraging its leading-edge optical technology to drive innovation in the future mobility sector.
At a press conference held in March, LG Innotek CEO Moon, Hyuksoo outlined his plans, stating, “We will identify a new business opportunity where we can leverage our company’s distinctive ‘No. 1 know-how’ in the mobile camera module industry to establish a robust business portfolio.”
The sensing solution business for AD (Autonomous Driving) & ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) is one of the most promising areas where the CEO’s management strategy can be implemented with the greatest impact.
The paramount concern in the autonomous driving market, which is emerging as a key area for future vehicles, is the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. If a vehicle cannot accurately detect obstacles that hamper driving, it may lead to a serious accident. This is the reason why car makers are investing in advanced vehicle sensing solutions.
- To newly establish a LiDAR business organization directly under the CEO recently
LG Innotek has identified ‘High Performance LiDAR’ as a key pillar of its Vehicle Sensing Solution business and is pursuing a targeted approach to the LiDAR market.
In particular, LG Innotek has recently established a dedicated business division for LiDAR, reporting directly to the CEO. The development and business of LiDAR, previously dispersed across the existing optical solution business division and CTO, have been consolidated under the LiDAR business division. This organisational restructuring was driven by the CEO’s strong desire to oversee the LiDAR business directly and to enhance capabilities and operational efficiency.
LG Innotek has been consistently strengthening its core capacity to engage in the LiDAR business since 2015. Last year, LG Innotek acquired 77 US patents related to LiDAR from a US autonomous driving startup company. The company currently holds over 300 patents related to LiDAR.
- To strengthen Vehicle Camera Module business capability via equity investment, product enhancement, and factory expansion.
Another product line that LG Innotek has identified as a key pillar is high-value added vehicle camera modules.
The majority of camera modules mounted on vehicles that have been commercialised to date tend to fulfil only the basic function of filming and have low added value as products. However, as we enter the era of autonomous driving, the vehicle camera modules must take on the role of the eyes of a driver. It is therefore vital that vehicle camera modules are equipped with enhanced sensing capabilities.
In line with such trends, LG Innotek has entered into a contract for equity investment with AOE Optronics (hereinafter referred to as ‘AOE’) to enhance its capabilities in the vehicle camera module business.
Recently, there has been a notable increase in demand for ‘Aspherical Glass Lenses’, a key component for high-resolution cameras in the autonomous driving vehicle industry. AOE has considerable expertise in manufacturing technologies for this specific area. By working closely with AOE, LG Innotek is able to accelerate the development of high-value camera modules.
Furthermore, in February 2024, LG Innotek launched a ‘High-Performance Heating Camera Module’, designed to rapidly defrost vehicle camera lenses in cold weather conditions. This module maintains its original size while adding a heating function to offer customers enhanced value.
LG Innotek is currently developing a high heat-generating material that can accelerate heating even faster than the current product. The company intends to conduct performance verification on the ultra-high-speed heating camera modules incorporating this material.
Moreover, LG Innotek is developing camera modules with a washing function to remove foreign substances like dust from the lens while driving. These will enable the company to expand its high-value-added vehicle camera module portfolio.
The company is also investing in facilities to occupy the vehicle camera module market.
In addition, LG Innotek purchased approximately 99,173 square meters of land near its manufacturing subsidiary in San Juan de Rio, Mexico, with the intention of expanding its factory last year. The newly expanded factory is scheduled to commence mass production of vehicle camera modules in the second half of next year.
An official from LG Innotek commented, “The decision to locate the vehicle camera module production hub in Mexico was driven by our strategy to enhance our ability to serve customers in the North American region, where major car makers are concentrated, by making good use of the geographical proximity.”
- To become a ‘Vehicle Sensing Total Solution Provider’…providing differentiated customer values
LG Innotek aims to become a market leader in AD/ADAS sensing solutions by offering differentiated customer value as a ‘Vehicle Sensing Total Solution Provider’ that encompasses vehicle interior and exterior solutions.
It is well-known that global car manufacturers developing autonomous driving vehicles have established various strategies for adopting different sensing components.
LG Innotek intends to continue improving the performance of vehicle camera modules in response to customers who are interested in adopting only vehicle camera modules.
Furthermore, the company is actively seeking to attract customers by implementing ‘Sensor Fusion’, which combines vehicle camera modules and LiDAR through software.
This will enable the company to offer customers a wider range of sensing parts for installation on a vehicle’s exterior and a ‘In-Cabin Vehicle Camera Module’ that can be employed for various purposes inside a vehicle, such as teleconferencing, entertainment, and infant monitoring.
The CEO stated that, based on the formula for becoming No. 1 learned from the mobile camera module business, the vehicle sensing solution business will be fostered into a business with annual sales of 1.4 billion USD by 2030 and developed as another top-ranking business.
[Reference 1] Outlook on size of global autonomous driving vehicle market
According to the global market research firm, ‘Precedence Research,’ the global autonomous driving vehicle market is forecasted to grow by an annual average of 35% from 158.3 billion USD in 2023 to approximately 2.35 trillion USD in 2032.
[Reference 2] Outlook on size of global autonomous driving LiDAR market
The global autonomous driving vehicle market is forecast to grow by an annual average of 35% from 158.3 billion USD in 2023 to approximately 2.35 trillion USD in 2032, according to the global market research firm, ‘Precedence Research’.
[Reference 3] Outlook on size of global vehicle camera module market
The market research firm S&P Global and LG Innotek’s internal analysis indicates that the global vehicle camera module market will grow at an annual average of 7% from 6.44 billion USD in 2023 to 10.03 billion USD by 2030 due to the advancement of autonomous driving technology.