I was had planned to do a long post on self-driving cars a quite long time. I was planning to do one this spring, but I might not do that, because it seems that predictions that self-driving cars would be here in 2020 were far too rosy. Five years ago, several companies including Nissan and Toyota promised self-driving cars in 2020. So it may be wise to take any new forecasts with a grain of salt. Hare is a worth to check out article of the current status of self-driving cars:
Surprise! 2020 Is Not the Year for Self-Driving Cars
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/self-driving/surprise-2020-is-not-the-year-for-selfdriving-cars
In March, because of the coronavirus, self-driving car companies, including Argo, Aurora, Cruise, Pony, and Waymo, suspended vehicle testing and operations that involved a human driver. Around the same time, Waymo and Ford released open data sets of information collected during autonomous-vehicle tests and challenged developers to use them to come up with faster and smarter self-driving algorithms.
It seems that the self-driving car industry still hopes to make meaningful progress on autonomous vehicles (AVs) this year, but the industry is slowed by the pandemic and facing a set of very hard problems that have gotten no easier to solve over the years.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
UK 5G/Satellite Lab to Test Autonomous Vehicles
Supported by the European Space Agency and telecom provider O2, the Darwin SatCom Lab will leverage both 5G and satellite communications.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21144363/uk-5gsatellite-lab-to-test-autonomous-vehicles?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS201008094&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
The Darwin SatCom Lab has become the UK’s first commercial laboratory to test driverless cars. Based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, which is also home to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications, it will allow companies to put self-driving car theories into practice and test their ideas using connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).
Employing both 5G and satellite communications, companies can test proofs of concept using two Renault TWIZY two-seat electric cars. Telecom company O2 converted them into CAVs, fitting them with LiDAR sensors so that they can be controlled from the lab and driven around the Harwell Campus.
The laboratory for 5G and satellite communications is part of Project Darwin, supported by the ESA and O2.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hacked Billboards Can Make Teslas See ‘Phantom Objects,’ Causing Them to Swerve or Stop Abruptly
https://www.newsweek.com/hacked-billboards-can-make-teslas-see-phantom-objects-1539478
Security researchers have demonstrated how Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance systems can be tricked into changing speed, swerving or stopping abruptly, simply by projecting fake road signs or virtual objects in front of them.
Their hacks worked on both a Tesla running HW3, which is the latest version of the company’s Autopilot driver-assistance system, and the previous generation, HW2.5.
The most concerning finding is that a fake road sign only needs to be displayed for less than half a second, in order to trigger a response from Tesla’s system.
a “Stop” sign hidden within a fast food commercial successfully caused a Tesla running in Autopilot mode to stop, despite the command only flashing on-screen for a fraction of a second.
The researchers, from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, said their findings “reflect a fundamental flaw of models that detect objects [but] were not trained to distinguish between real and fake objects.”
Such attacks have to potential to be both dangerous and easy to carry out because they “can be applied remotely
They’re also so fleeting that they’re difficult for the human eye to detect, and leave behind very little evidence.
Similar hacks also worked on the Mobileye 630 Autopilot system, because both it and Tesla’s system rely on visual recognition through the use of cameras.
The researchers confirmed that these attacks would not have fooled autopilot systems that rely on LIDAR
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://medium.com/cruise/its-time-to-drive-change-f447f27cb353
2020 has been a heap of bad. And not small bad either.
Today, Cruise received a permit from the California DMV to remove the human backup drivers from our self-driving cars. We’re not the first company to receive this permit, but we’re going to be the first to put it to use on the streets of a major U.S. city.
Before the end of the year, we’ll be sending cars out onto the streets of SF — without gasoline and without anyone at the wheel. Because safely removing the driver is the true benchmark of a self-driving car, and because burning fossil fuels is no way to build the future of transportation.
It will be a low key, quiet moment. But the echo could be loud.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Green-Energy Advocates Bet Big on Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicles
When it comes to long ranges, quick refueling, and low weight, FCEVs hit those marks and thus are gaining more popularity. Find out what else is motivating stakeholders to vouch for them.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21144829/greenenergy-advocates-bet-big-on-fuelcell-electric-vehicles?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS201009045&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
SiC MOSFETs: Challenges in Transportation Electrification
Designers of electrified powertrains continue to seek out WBG solutions, such as SiC MOSFETs. Though their benefits are well-known, this article provides an overview of challenges associated with SiC MOSFET characteristics in traction-inverter apps.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power-management/whitepaper/21144910/sic-mosfets-challenges-in-transportation-electrification?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS201009045&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Self-driving cars can be forced to brake by hijacked billboards
Researchers demonstrate how “phantom objects” can fool autonomous vehicles and prompt particular actions.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/self-driving-cars-can-be-forced-to-brake-by-hijacked-billboards/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AV Software Platforms: More Partners & Rivals
https://www.eetimes.com/av-software-platforms-more-partners-rivals/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wireless Battery Management System for Electric Vehicles
https://www.eetimes.com/wireless-battery-management-system-for-electric-vehicles/
General Motors (GM) will use a wireless battery management system (wBMS) in its electric vehicles (EVs). The system was developed together with Analog Devices and should be the main driver to power other solutions in e-mobility.
Many market analysts identify the wireless battery management system as one of the key enablers for the wider deployment of electric vehicles, helping auto OEMs avoid the need to redesign complex wiring diagrams for each new vehicle and helping to ensure battery scalability. A robust, reliable and secure system that works well and is protected with the latest IT security measures is critical.
The wBMS can be wirelessly upgraded with new software-based functionality through GM’s over the air Vehicle Intelligence Platform. The wireless system is used for data and diagnostic needs with all the required FCC and CCC certifications to ensure compatibility and cybersecurity provisions to protect our customers’ vehicles from outside tampering.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eetimes.com/smart-surfaces-sensors-and-the-future-of-automotive-hmi/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Maaginen 500 km/h nopeusraja murskattiin ennätysajossa: Tässä on nyt maailman nopein tuotantoauto – katso video!
https://www.iltalehti.fi/autouutiset/a/1dfd4d81-7119-4582-84ba-679960b06e72
Amerikkainen SSC -hyperautoyhtiön ajoi Tuatara -autollaan käsittämättömän uuden tuotantoautojen nopeusennätyksen Nevadassa. Ratin takana pedaalia painoi huimapäinen ammattilaiskuski 29-vuotias Oliver Webb .
1750-hevosvoimainen SSC Tuarata-hyperauto saavutti virallisessa ennätyskokeessa 508,73 km/h keskinopeuden, kun 7 mailin ennätyspätkä ajettiin kahteen suuntaan.
Toiseen suuntaan ajettaessa nopeus nousi jopa 523,93 km/h, joka on tuotantoautojen kaikkien aikojen kovin nopeus julkisilla teillä ajettaessa.
Ennätykseksi kirjataan kuitenkin kahteen suuntaan ajetun reitin keskinopeus 508,73 km/h ja SCC Tuatara on ensimmäinen tuotantoauto, joka on ylittänyt maagisen 500 km/h nopeusrajan.
Aiempi tuotantoautojen nopeusennätys oli Koenigssegg Ageran 477 km/h.
– Hämmästyttävää, kun ennätys ajettiin oikeassa maailmassa julkisella tiellä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Let Elon Musk Go Giga: A U.K. upstart says microfactories are the profitable way to build electric vehicles. http://on.forbes.com/6189Gf4ZF
“The rule of this game of big factories is broken,” Denis Sverdlov says in a late evening Zoom call from his London home. “If you do things exactly the same as others do it’s quite strange to expect better results.” So Arrival, his electric vehicle startup, is trying a new approach with its futuristic delivery vans and buses.
Sprawling, multibillion-dollar auto plants, whether they build Fords or Teslas, are too costly and inflexible for fast-changing markets and the shift to electricity, according to Sverdlov.
“We took a different approach to every element of this—what type of materials we’re using, how we designed the vehicles, how we assemble them,”
His idea runs counter to Elon Musk’s obsession with gigantism–namely, multibillion-dollar Tesla Gigafactories and terawatt-hour-level battery plants cranking out enough vehicles to supply the planet. Sverdlov’s building $50 million (€45 million) microfactories close to customers that don’t need pricey stamping presses, paint and welding shops and assembly lines. Each one will crank out 10,000 vans or 1,000 buses a year. The first two–in Bicester, England, and Rock Hill, South Carolina–open next year. More will be added as demand from fleet customers grows. “It’s almost like the model of McDonald’s,” he says. “You get as many as needed to fulfill demand.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Streamline Functional Safety Certification for Automotive, Industrial Apps
Selecting the right components and studying the relevant documentation can help meet the requirements of standards such as ISO 26262 and IEC 61508.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/markets/automotive/article/21143817/streamline-functional-safety-certification-for-automotive-industrial-apps?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS201015096&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
NXP Battery Management Systems Marry VWs’ EV Platform
https://www.eetimes.com/nxp-battery-management-systems-marry-vws-ev-platform/
NXP Semiconductors unveiled a major design win for its battery management systems on Tuesday at its developers conference, “NXP Connect.” The customer is Volkswagen, which will use the NXP system in its EV car platform called MEB (Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten)
VW’s MEB is hailed as an innovative and scalable platform, due to an architecture that offers modular building blocks. While the platform is aimed at consolidating electronic controls and reducing the number of microprocessors, it also allows a flexible battery layout that serves various battery needs from smaller city cars to long-haul vehicles.
According to the German carmaker, MEB will be used in brands ranging from Audi and SEAT to Škoda and Volkswagen.
According to NXP, its battery management solutions can respond to the needs of a compact car, Volkswagen’s ID.3, a plug-in hybrid, or a luxury electric vehicle like the ID.4, Audi e-TRON or Porsche Taycan.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eetimes.com/why-a-book-on-sensors-in-automotive/
Tomi Engdahl says:
With all the hype about robotaxis and the utopic future of mobility over the past five years or so, we have lost sight of what autonomy was all about in the first place, writes Rob Stead, managing director and co-founder of Sense Media Group, in a column. But safety is of paramount importance for operating autonomous vehicles. Not only the safety of the drivers and passengers, but also other vehicles on the road, and vulnerable road users. For Stead, “safety, not autonomy, is the objective.”
Safety, Not Autonomy, Is the Objective
https://www.eetimes.eu/safety-not-autonomy-is-the-objective/
I’m a big believer in cycles. Virtually everything is cyclical. The sine wave is one of the most fundamental functions in mathematics, representing relationships between subatomic particles right up to the nature of the universe itself. But the elastic, return-to-origin motion that the sine wave represents is illustrated throughout society, politics, the economy and, in my view, almost all aspects of life.
With all the hype about robotaxis and the utopic future of mobility over the past five years or so, we have lost sight of what autonomy was all about in the first place. Right now, the elastic motion of the sine wave is bringing us back around to focus on what the original objective was, namely, safety.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a challenging environment for the automotive industry, but it’s also helped us regain focus on what matters most. Autonomy was meant to be a by-product of safety: We’d build the safest cars we could, and by default they would be fully autonomous because computers would be better at driving than humans.
I still believe that this will be the case in the long term, but it was always going to be a big challenge, even in boom times with seemingly unlimited budgets. In the engineering community, it’s become clear more recently that autonomous driving is really, really hard, and in a post-Covid-19 economy solving the last 5% of technical challenges could be slower than previously thought.
But that doesn’t mean we suddenly give up on safety. Automakers, regulators, and consumers alike still want to see the road become a safer place, and despite the squeeze in some areas of automotive manufacturing, it’s encouraging to see safety programs remain a top priority. I’ve always said the key was to focus on incrementally improving advanced driver assistance systems, and if we stick with driver assistance, the action the car takes in an emergency is mostly limited to bringing it to a safe stop.
Safety has many facets, but if we focus on ADAS, it’s primarily about perception:
Sensing — improving sensor capabilities and optimizing image quality
Robustness — building in system redundancy, SOTIF (Safety of the Intended Functionality), and a continuous development approach
Monitoring — real-time assessment of system performance, understanding degradation pathways and impacts
Tomi Engdahl says:
4 audio trends transforming the automotive industry
https://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2020/07/13/automotive-audio-design-trends?HQS=asc-dc-padc-dc_polaris-exah-ta-ElectronicDesign-wwe&DCM=yes&utm_source=EG+ED+Update%3A+Power+and+Analog&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS201019088&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&dclid=CPmvu4OXyOwCFQecmgodsScC6Q
The automotive industry is focused on creating a comfortable driving experience – but without compromising fuel efficiency or manufacturing costs. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are refreshing their audio system architectures frequently to enhance the user experience and ensure safety by incorporating new audio technologies.
Techniques using microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers and advanced digital signal processing can help enable background noise reduction, clearer voice communication between passengers, and emergency and high-fidelity hands-free voice calling. These are the four audio trends transforming automotive audio design.
Trend No. 1: Active noise cancellation systems
As is already well established in the consumer electronics industry, OEMs are increasingly adopting active noise cancellation. Conventional noise-cancellation techniques such as passive insulation and specialized tires make vehicles heavier and reduce fuel efficiency. Active noise cancellation methods can achieve the same benefits, while weighing less compared to passive insulation methods and without affecting fuel efficiency.
Trend No. 2: In-cabin communication systems
Also called in-vehicle communication systems or in-car communications systems, in-cabin communication is just what it sounds like: it enables clear communication among occupants while inside the car. As shown in Figure 2, an in-cabin communication system works by strategically placing two to eight microphones to pick up the speech of each passenger, adaptively enhancing the speech of the person talking, reducing unwanted noise, and then playing the speech on the car audio loudspeaker system.
Trend No. 3: Emergency calling (eCall) systems and hands-free voice systems
As shown in Figure 3, an eCall system typically has one or two microphones for direct audio communication between the car and local emergency services in case of an emergency. A connectivity module digitizes and transmits the microphone signal to emergency operators. The speech from the emergency operator is played back on dedicated loudspeakers inside the car.
Like eCall systems, hands-free voice systems have between one and eight microphones, or an array of beamforming microphones, to enable clear voice calls and voice commands.
Trend No. 4: Centralized audio hubs
Looking ahead to future implementations, many OEMs are considering a centralized audio hub (shown in Figure 4) that would aggregate active noise cancellation, in-cabin communication, eCall and hands-free microphone inputs, digitize these audio signals, and send the digitized signal to each respective audio subsystem for further processing.
As trends in active noise cancellation, in-cabin communication and hands-free beamforming pick up, a centralized audio hub will reduce the amount of microphone routing required, the implementation complexity, and the cost associated with microphone cables.
These devices support analog and digital microphone and line inputs and integrate a programmable high-voltage microphone bias and input fault diagnostics. They provide a flexible digital filtering scheme with linear-phase and low-latency filters, multiple second-order infinite impulse response filters per channel, and high-pass filters. The PCM6260-Q1 family supports a flexible data output and control interface, allowing several devices to use the same output data and control the interface bus. The devices have general-purpose inputs/outputs, fine phase and gain calibration schemes, and a digital mixer and summer to optimize system performance.
The adoption of these new audio technologies in cars – while requiring major architecture changes – promise to bring a richer driving and in-car communication experience.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meet Supercar Blondie, Dubai’s social media phenomenon
34-year-old Australian sensation reveals how she earned a staggering 45 million followers
https://gulfnews.com/uae/meet-supercar-blondie-dubais-social-media-phenomenon-1.74740285
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla ‘full self-driving’ vehicles can’t drive themselves
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-tesla-full-self-driving-vehicles.html
Earlier this week, Tesla sent out its “full self-driving” software to a small group of owners who will test it on public roads. But buried on its website is a disclaimer that the $8,000 system doesn’t make the vehicles autonomous and drivers still have to supervise it.
The conflicting messages have experts in the field accusing Tesla of deceptive, irresponsible marketing that could make the roads more dangerous as the system is rolled out to as many as 1 million electric vehicle drivers by the end of the year.
“This is actively misleading people about the capabilities of the system, based on the information I’ve seen about it,” said Steven Shladover, a research engineer at the University of California, Berkeley, who has studied autonomous driving for 40 years. “It is a very limited functionality that still requires constant driver supervision.”
On a conference call Wednesday, Musk told industry analysts that the company is starting full self-driving slowly and cautiously “because the world is a complex and messy place.” It plans to add drivers this weekend and hopes to have a wider release by the end of the year. He referred to having a million vehicles “providing feedback” on situations that can’t be anticipated.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla in trouble in world’s largest EV market, to recall around 30,000 cars
https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/news/tesla-in-trouble-in-world-s-largest-ev-market-to-recall-around-30-000-cars-41603438547027.html
Tesla is recalling around 30,000 imported Model S and Model X in China.
The recall does not affect products made in its Shanghai facility which currently rolls out only Model 3.
Tesla Inc. is recalling about 30,000 imported Model S and Model X vehicles in China because of suspension problems, a setback for the US electric-car maker just as it faces intensifying competition in the world’s largest auto market.
The company is recalling vehicles made between Sept. 17, 2013, and Jan. 15, 2018, according to a statement by the State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday. There are two different suspension defects
Quality issues such as fires resulting from battery defects threaten to weigh on consumers’ perception of electric vehicles. Manufacturers from Hyundai Motor Co. to Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG have been hit by reports of EV fires in recent weeks.
The Shanghai factory has helped Tesla expand in China, and the company has said it has capacity to produce 200,000 vehicles a year at the site.
Tomi Engdahl says:
We get our first look at Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Beta software update as some owners who are testing it are sharing videos and it looks just insane. [ 433 more words ]
https://electrek.co/2020/10/22/tesla-full-self-driving-beta-first-look-insane/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla is allowing some customers to beta test its Full Self-Driving (FSD), according to The Verge. The company pushed the software update to some early access customers to do some real world beta test. Some of the reaction to this push: this is scary, writes The Verge.
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ software is starting to roll out to select customers
A beta version of Tesla’s partially automated driver assist system is available, but not to everyone
https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/21/21527577/tesla-full-self-driving-autopilot-beta-software-update
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ beta is here, and it looks scary as hell
‘Using untrained consumers to validate beta-level software on public roads is dangerous’
https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/22/21528508/tesla-full-self-driving-beta-first-reaction-video
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-auto-security-pervasive-computing-38/
SoCs that end up in cars, factories, and medical settings need to be designed to function reliably within a safety, power, performance, and cost. Arm is working with Mentor, a Siemens Business, to offer a new RTL verification design review service for SoC designers to verify the strategy, plan, and closure are correct for the application.
Arm partners with Mentor to offer complete verification service
https://www.arm.com/company/news/2020/10/arm-partners-with-mentor-to-offer-complete-verification-service
Tomi Engdahl says:
Book review: A guide to sensors in automotive
https://www.edn.com/book-review-a-guide-to-sensors-in-automotive/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNFunFriday-20201023
Sensors are reshaping automotive design architectures that span from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to autonomous vehicles (AVs) and connected cars to precision maps. So, how does one cruise this vast design landscape encompassing radars, LiDARs, vision cameras, and more?
A new book from AspenCore Media attempts to make sense of the sensor labyrinth in modern vehicles. “AspenCore Guide to Sensors in Automotive: Making Cars See and Think Ahead” provides a detailed treatment of how sensors complement the rapidly evolving automotive design world while covering devices as simple as MEMS and as complex as depth sensors.
Start with the diverging paths of sensing and computing designs where AI accelerators loom large on the computing side. How will the sensing part complement computing? The book explains how Sony, the leading supplier of image sensors, incorporates AI blocks into its event-based automotive camera designs.
Also, while car OEMs don’t see an easy path from ADAS to AVs, as noted by Junko Yoshida, AspenCore’s global editor-in-chief, a one-on-one interview with Intel subsidiary Mobileye’s chief Amnon Shashua provides clarity on the chasm between the ADAS and AV worlds. Shashua also weighs in on the choice of radars and LiDARs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Q&A with ON Semi’s Ross Jatou on ADAS, DMS, Car & Driver
https://www.eetimes.com/qa-with-on-semis-ross-jatou-on-adas-dms-car-driver/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AVs: Sense the Need for Supply Chain Collaboration?
https://www.eetimes.com/avs-sense-the-need-for-supply-chain-collaboration/
Call it a wild guess, but I suspect I am not the only follower of the automotive industry who is tired of reading articles that lament the impact of Covid-19 and speculate, to varying degrees of accuracy, what kind of recovery is in store for major automotive markets around the world.
I’m much more interested in what solutions and creative approaches people, companies, and countries have come up with to make cars smarter and safer despite the pandemic or even because of it.
A friend of mine who works at a major European vehicle OEM told me that “innovation cannot, must not stop – despite current difficulties.” This sentiment echoes through the automotive supply chain, particularly in the resilience of the semiconductor industry during these challenging times.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Robotaxis: Where Are We?
https://www.eetimes.com/robotaxis-where-are-we/
Robotaxis are progressing. But how far?
In the last two weeks, I spotted two pretty significant announcements in the United States. Waymo revealed that nearly all of its robotaxi rides in the Phoenix area will be operating without safety drivers starting last week. Cruise released a blog to say it had received a California DMV permit to operate AVs without safety drivers. Cruise said it plans to start robotaxi operation in San Francisco before the end of 2020.
What is the impact of these two announcements and how does it compare with other robotaxi activities?
There are at least two big steps to get to driverless robotaxi deployment.
The first step is to build and train a software driver platform to reach a certain competency level. Today there is no definition of what that competency level should be. Hopefully we will soon get such a definition that the AV industry will quickly implement. Currently each company decides when they have reached this competency state.
The second step is to adapt the software driver platform for deployment in a specific AV use-case—this column is about the robotaxi use-case. From recent activities it looks like this step has a sequence of four phases.
Robotaxis services with safety drivers will be the first phase—usually starting with a free trial service with limited number of customers. The next phase is a paid service with safety drivers and larger customer base. The third phase is usually a small driverless trial service that is free. The fourth phase is a larger paid driverless robotaxi service. The four-step sequence will take from two to four years depending on how much previous experience the company has gained. Phase zero is to compile the high definition maps that are needed for accurate location technology.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Suomessa tulisi asettaa tavoitteeksi, että maassa olisi 700 000 sähköautoa vuonna 2030. Valtaosan niistä pitäisi olla täyssähköautoja, sanoo liikenteen päästöjen vähentämistä pohtinut työryhmä.
https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/tyoryhma-haluaa-lisata-sahkoautojen-maaran-10-vuodessa-700-000-een-valtaosan-pitaisi-olla-tayssahkoautoja/7966580#gs.jv8due
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.eetimes.com/aeb-from-a-glorified-checkbox-to-serious-testing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3 basic facts about automotive sensor degradation
https://www.edn.com/three-basic-facts-about-automotive-sensor-degradation/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNWeekly-20201015
Tomi Engdahl says:
LED street-light designs create safety hazards
https://www.edn.com/led-street-light-designs-create-safety-hazards/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNWeekly-20201015
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/advanced-cars/the-tuatara-is-the-worlds-fastest-production-car
Tomi Engdahl says:
LiDAR Market: Promising, But Caution Needed
https://www.eetimes.eu/lidar-market-promising-but-caution-needed/
LiDAR acts as an eye with a 360° view, and many autonomous-vehicle developers have been using it to build a three-dimensional map of the environment around the vehicle. The road to mass adoption, however, is paved with new challenges and added pressure.
Automotive LiDAR traces its origins back to the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge, an AV race to foster development of fully autonomous ground vehicles. LiDAR was introduced in the second edition of the race, in 2005. Two years later, five of the six vehicles finishing the race had roof-mounted LiDAR units. Since then, LiDAR innovation has moved fast, and automotive applications are expected to be the main drivers in the next five years, according to market research firm Yole Développement (Lyon, France).
“The LiDAR market for ADAS is set to achieve an annual growth of 114%, from US$19 million in 2019 to US$1.7 billion in 2025,” said Alexis Debray, a technology and market analyst at Yole. Expectations are high, but the LiDAR market currently faces headwinds and calls for bold moves.
Prices drop, but volumes are low
Historically, LiDAR systems have been too expensive to mass-produce for consumer vehicles. The trend is now reversing: Different LiDAR manufacturers have defined aggressive strategies, and the price drop over the past three years has been massive.
Last year, Luminar announced LiDAR-based solutions for under US$1,000. Velodyne, which came up with the first real-time 3D LiDAR in 2005, unveiled plans to reach an average unit price of US$600 by 2024, down from US$17,900 in 2017. And Chinese LiDAR manufacturers, whose unit prices are usually one-fifth those of other companies, are already fielding units priced below $1,000 and are gaining market share.
But a price drop does not necessarily imply a volume increase. So far, volumes have not grown significantly, and mass adoption has not yet occurred. “LiDAR must answer a need,” said Debray. “In the industrial market, including manufacturing and logistics, there is a clear trend toward automation, and LiDAR is playing a key role. In automotive, US$600 remains expensive for a car sensor in comparison with ADAS cameras, for which the average selling price is US$80. Therefore, we are now hearing about US$100 LiDAR for short-range automotive applications.”
Although Velodyne’s plan comes with some risks, said Debray, “things needed to change, and price reduction is a necessity for the automotive and the industrial markets.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power Tips #101: Use a thermal camera to assess temperatures in automotive environments
https://www.edn.com/power-tips-101-use-a-thermal-camera-to-assess-temperatures-in-automotive-environments/?utm_content=buffer80003&utm_medium=social&utm_source=edn_facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
Most electronics that go inside the car cabin need to be able to operate at up to 85°C without forced-air cooling. Product qualification requires showing that no component or trace on the board is getting too hot, even at maximum ambient temperature. Existing methods of testing at elevated temperatures use thermocouples, which can be time-consuming and miss potential hot spots. Thermal cameras will pick up these missed spots and have become the best practice for room temperature tests. Room temperature testing will miss heating effects that only become noticeable in higher-temperature environments.
However, inserting a thermal camera into the 85°C chamber cannot be advised as most such cameras cannot withstand above 70°C without damage. Pointing the thermal camera through the glass front of the thermal chamber also will not work, as the glass pane(s) distort the thermal image from the target device.
My proposed solution is to test the electronics in a convection thermal chamber with its door open, but covering the front with cardboard and tape, leaving only a small opening for the front of the thermal camera to get a good, clean thermal image. A thermocouple would be placed inside the chamber very close to the board under test to verify that the 85°C ambient has been achieved.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/toyota-driver-monitoring-sensors-could-detect-heart-trouble?ADTRK=InformaMarkets&elq_mid=14822&elq_cid=876648
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla raises price of ‘Full Self-Driving’ option to $10,000
Up from $8,000 following the launch of the beta
https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/30/21541571/tesla-full-self-driving-price-increase-10000-dollars-autopilot-beta
Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” option, which currently enables Autopilot features like changing lanes on highways and automatic car parking, now costs $10,000, or $2,000 more than before. The price rise only covers the US for now, where the company’s Full Self-Driving functionality has just launched in limited beta, allowing Autopilot’s advanced driver-assist features to be used on local roads as well.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the price increase in a tweet last week in response to the launch of the Full Self-Driving beta to a select group of customers. At the time, he said similar price increases would come to other markets with the beta. Musk has said he expects Full Self-Driving to see a “wide release” before the end of the year.
The price of the Full Self-Driving option has been steadily increasing over the last couple of years. It increased from $5,000 to $6,000 in May last year, to $7,000 in November, and then to $8,000 back in June. But these price increases are chump change compared to the amount of value Musk thinks Tesla owners will eventually get out of the technology, which he says could be “somewhere in excess of $100,000.” Musk has said that once Tesla’s cars are able to drive themselves they’ll be able to work as a fleet of robotaxis, allowing them to earn money for their owners when not in use.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cadillac’s Super Cruise Outperforms Other Driving Assistance Systems
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/cadillac-super-cruise-outperforms-other-active-driving-assistance-systems/
Other automakers close in on Tesla’s Autopilot, now a distant second, in Consumer Reports’ new ratings of 17 systems
Tomi Engdahl says:
People Are Jailbreaking Used Teslas to Get the Features They Expect
https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3mb3w/people-are-jailbreaking-used-teslas-to-get-the-features-they-expect?utm_source=vicefbuk&fbclid=IwAR1nawq7H4CzphPSlqNpsPHvXsbJXgC-AI7o3TbGUIxVZyIlbN1ZUh-K1U4
Tesla is getting more aggressive in revoking paid software features on used cars, raising the stakes in a battle over what used Teslas can do that has raged for years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Learn How to Protect Autonomous Vehicles Against Hackers
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-institute/ieee-products-services/learn-how-to-protect-autonomous-vehicles-against-hackers
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cybersecurity is Imperative for Connected Cars
With the explosion of electronics—from ECUs to interfaces—making their way into vehicles, how can manufacturers protect their designs against cyberattacks?
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/systems/article/21143147/cybersecurity-is-imperative-for-connected-cars
Tomi Engdahl says:
Applied Intuition Reaches $1.25 Billion Valuation In New Funding For Its Autonomous Vehicle Testing Software
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2020/10/22/autonomous-vehicle-software-startup-applied-intuition-valued-above-1-billion/?sh=77bac4851f53&utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=social&utm_content=4054405099&utm_campaign=sprinklrForbesMainFB
As Tesla, Waymo and others jockey for positioning in the race to take self-driving vehicles mainstream, a lesser-known Bay Area startup has reached “unicorn” status by offering the industry the software needed to run autonomous tests.
Toyota is one of the carmakers currently using Applied Intuition to test automation features going into production in its products.
Founded in 2017 by Qasar Younis and Peter Ludwig, Applied Intuition pitches itself as a bridge between Silicon Valley and traditional automakers. Younis, cofounder of a startup acquired by Google and later the chief operating officer of startup accelerator Y Combinator, attended the General Motors Institute of Technology in Michigan; Ludwig attended the University of Michigan for his undergraduate and master’s degrees. Both relocated to California before teaming up on a project to bring modern software to the auto industry’s efforts to add autonomous features to their vehicles.
“If you’re an engineer at a global OEM, let’s say you work at Hyundai in South Korea, it should be very easy for you to log in on day one and have access to tools,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Watch a self-driving race car drive into a wall
https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/02/in_brief_ai/
Oh dear, autonomous car collides into a wall on a race track
A sleek self-driving race car crashed straight into a wall soon after taking off in the Roborace event, a global competition that took place this week.
Roborace specifically tests self-driving technology in motorsport vehicles around a race track.
https://m.twitch.tv/clip/ColdbloodedCredulousTriangleArsonNoSexy
Tomi Engdahl says:
Voters approved a measure giving car owners and mechanics access to detailed telematics info.
Massachusetts voters pass right-to-repair expansion opening up car data
https://www.engadget.com/motor-vehicle-data-question-1-081059455.html
Voters approved a measure giving car owners and mechanics access to detailed telematics info.
One election night issue that has appears to have an answer already is the passage of Question 1 in Massachusetts, which asked voters to strengthen laws guaranteeing people are able to repair things they own. In this case, it focused on cars, preventing manufactures from locking third party repair shops and car owners out of advanced telematics data that’s increasingly being collected by vehicles via driver assistance tools.
You can read the full text of Question 1 here (PDF), and the Associated Press projected it passed around 11 PM ET on Tuesday. iFixit called the legislation a “milestone” for the movement, seeing it as the start of a nationwide push to open up car data. According to iFixit founder Kyle Wiens, “This will be the most advanced Right To Repair law in the world, opening wireless automotive diagnostics and unleashing a world of possible apps.”
Automakers spent millions opposing the proposal, claiming that third parties wanted to scoop up information, violate privacy and possibly enable criminal acts. A now-inaccessible but archived page on the automaker-backed Coalition for Safe and Secure Data page said “It will allow these people to access very detailed information, including how, when and where a person drives. From this information, a third party, such as a sexual predator, could stalk and/or harm victims by exploiting insecure transmissions of vehicle information.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Portable charging solutions offer roadside assistance for EVs
https://www.edn.com/portable-charging-solutions-offer-roadside-assistance-for-evs/?utm_content=buffer799fe&utm_medium=social&utm_source=edn_facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
One of the issues that proponents of electric vehicles (EVs) worry about—whether actual or potential purchasers—is the possibility of running low and then out of sufficient battery charge. That is the equivalent of running out of gas with an internal combustion engine (ICE)-based vehicle, or both gas and electrons for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hupaisa video leviää: Robottiauto lähtee liikkelle maaliviivalta ja… voi ei
https://tekniikanmaailma.fi/hupaisa-video-leviaa-robottiauto-lahtee-liikkelle-maaliviivalta-ja-voi-ei/
Roborace
https://m.twitch.tv/clip/ColdbloodedCredulousTriangleArsonNoSexy
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/an-electric-conversion-turns-a-delorean-into-the-car-that-it-should-have-been-3b388cf7b3c7?471684d6c43cfc529b30d600113dae63
Tomi Engdahl says:
Elon Musk Had a Private Meeting With Volkswagen’s CEO. It’s a Brilliant Lesson in Emotional IntelligenceElon Musk and VW CEO Herbert Diess are becoming fast friends, and it could completely change the auto industry.
https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/elon-musk-had-a-private-meeting-with-volkswagens-ceo-its-a-brilliant-lesson-in-emotional-intelligence.html?cid=sf01002&fbclid=IwAR3Qgvv0In9-f28DEBUQFx4ylzk49C31A5wFbbYn8oensd3OCWpimzK-GWU
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/11/honda-to-mass-produce-level-3-autonomous-cars-by-march/?tpcc=ECFB2020
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Introduction To Integrated Photonics
This is the first article in a series dedicated to integrated photonics. In this article, we introduce you to the technology, its history, and its materiality. Integrated Photonics (IP) is the use of light for applications traditionally tackled by electronics. It can be used in a wide range of areas including telecommunications such as 5G networks, biosensors for speeding up Medical Devices, and automotive where it is used in LiDAR.
Full article on https://www.wevolver.com/article/an-introduction-to-integrated-photonics
#engineering #technology #electronics #photonics #circuts
Tomi Engdahl says:
New “Weather-Proof” Beam-Steering Chip Could Lead to LIDAR with No Moving Parts or Blind Spots
The new chip could mean LIDAR sensors no longer need moving parts, and is being positioned for future wireless communication systems too.
https://www.hackster.io/news/new-weather-proof-beam-steering-chip-could-lead-to-lidar-with-no-moving-parts-or-blind-spots-4df3f1213f76
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla to Be Added to S&P 500 Index
Electric-vehicle maker to join Dec. 21 after five consecutive quarters of net profit
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/tesla-to-be-added-to-s-p-500-index-11605566006
Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk has taken another step to turning the Silicon Valley electric-vehicle maker into a mainstream car maker, parking the company in the S&P 500 index.
It marks a milestone for the company that over the course of its 17 years has sought to overcome cash flow problems and defy skeptics from Wall Street and Detroit.
S&P Dow Jones Indices on Monday said Tesla would join the index on Dec. 21.
The move is expected to galvanize the company’s bullish investors who have propelled its soaring share price and coincides with Wall Street expectations of Tesla’s first full-calendar year of profit in 2020. The company has posted a profit in the first three quarters of the year despite the pandemic