Industry News
FocalPoint launches positioning software for urban driving
UK software company FocalPoint, which provides next-generation positioning technologies, has announced the launch of the S-GNSS Auto positioning product, which provides automotive OEMs with increased reliability and accuracy of GNSS positioning.
S-GNSS Auto effectively extends hands-free driving assistance technologies in urban environments and is a software-based GNSS enhancement to mitigate the urban multipath problem for AVs.
Representing a unique sensor within the ADAS perception system alongside cameras, radars and lidars, GNSS provides vital high-precision positioning and situational awareness to the automotive planning and control subsystems.
Standard GNSS sensors typically locate you to within 1-2m error in rural and suburban environments with support from correction services and fusion with car sensors like wheel odometry and IMUs.
Pro-Align and IMI launch advanced wheel alignment training with ADAS instruction
A collaboration between Pro-Align and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has led to the introduction of an advanced training course, designed to align with the stringent BS 10125 standard. The course is tailored for automotive body shops and accident repair centers, focusing on Section C.10 – steering, suspension and braking Systems, and includes up-to-date instruction on ADAS and electric and hybrid vehicles.
The one-day advanced wheel alignment course is a significant step toward continuous professional development in the automotive repair sector. According to the companies, it ensures that technicians are not only compliant with the BS 10125 standard, which necessitates reassessment every three years, but also helps them maintain the BSI Kitemark for vehicle damage repair.
Moveero develops wheel and tire technology for autonomous vehicles
With autonomous vehicles becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in off-highway applications, the need for innovative wheel and tire designs is critical. To address this, wheel technology specialist Moveero has developed new, patented wheel technologies to meet the unique demands of AVs.
Traditional wheel and rim designs are often inadequate for the performance requirements of AVs, which typically require wheels that offer enhanced durability, strength and longevity.
AGVs are extensively used in port environments and operate non-stop, handling extreme loads in demanding conditions. A single AGV failure can significantly disrupt operations, making reliability, safety and long-life performance important in wheel and tire design.
New partnership to accelerate use of lidar systems in ITS market
Innovusion, a provider of high-performance lidar systems for AVs and smart transportation, will be a key partner in Outsight’s mission to expand the adoption of 3D lidar technology. Outsight is a specialist in 3D spatial intelligence software solutions, and this collaboration aims to integrate its software platform with Innovusion’s product suite as part of an initiative to deploy 3D perception technologies on a large scale for intelligent transportation systems (ITS).
Offering lidar sensors that span from mid-range to ultra-long-range, Innovusion has also forged global partnerships with vehicle manufacturers, technology multinationals and leaders in smart transportation and industrial automation sectors.
WiMi develops advanced image classification system
WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc., a hologram augmented reality technology provider, has developed an innovative image classification system tailored to the automotive sector. This system integrates deep learning and machine learning models to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of image classification in various applications.
WiMi uses a convolutional neural network (CNN) as the deep learning model, extracting local features through multiple convolutional and pooling layers, and employing a fully connected layer to obtain a high-level representation of the image. The machine learning model, a support vector machine (SVM), is then used for classification based on these high-level features.
SVM is a classical machine learning algorithm that can classify feature vectors based on their linear divisibility.
UK government announces funding to advance autonomous transportation technologies
As part of a wider £4.5bn (US$5.7m) investment to help grow British manufacturing to boost economic growth, the UK government will provide £150m (US$189m) of funding to the Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) sector, to 2030.
The funding package forms a part of the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, which sets out government’s plans for investing in the future of manufacturing, opening markets, and removing obstacles for business. The money being provided to support CAM will be matched by industry and enable the UK’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to cement the UK’s place among world leaders for designing, developing, deploying, and manufacturing self-driving technologies, products, and services.
City of Graz trials smart traffic monitoring project
The Austrian city of Graz has started trialling a smart traffic monitoring platform (TMP) by traffic solutions provider LMT, to gain real-time data on traffic at a central intersection with heavy traffic. The data is to be used to analyze traffic in order to improve conditions for cyclists and further encourage green transportation.
In accordance with the European Green Deal’s goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent, Graz is implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city.
Latvia’s LMT offers a fully GDPR-compliant video system, equipped with edge computing and AI algorithms that make it possible to distinguish between different traffic participants and provide accurate data.
German VVM project proposes new standards for AV safety
Four years ago, the German automotive industry joined forces with 21 partners in a project to develop the world’s first structures for the verification of safety standards for autonomous vehicles in an urban environment. The results of the joint Verification and Validation Methods (VVM) project are now available.
The findings of the pre-competitive research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and initiated by the German Association of the Automotive Industry’s (VDA) flagship initiative Autonomous and Connected Driving, were discussed in detail at the final presentation at the Carl Benz Arena in Stuttgart on November 21, 2023.