- Far-Infrared thermal camera extends ADAS sensor fusion capability with a new layer of information, paving the way to fully-autonomous driving in any condition
- Prototypes now under evaluation by carmakers with initial production targeted for 2020
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Yok'neam (Israel) and Geneva, February 21, 2018 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, and AdaSky, an Israeli-based start-up bringing far infrared (FIR) technology to the automotive market to enable vehicles of tomorrow to see further and better, today announced a collaboration, in which AdaSky's FIR thermal camera embeds custom silicon co-designed with and manufactured by ST in its proprietary 28nm FD-SOI[1] manufacturing technology. The complete sensing solution from AdaSky, called Viper, aims to enable autonomous vehicles to see and understand the roads and their surroundings in any condition.
Having complete sight and perception of the roadway, other vehicles, roadside infrastructure, and obstacles, especially in challenging lighting or weather conditions, is fundamental to the safe operation of next-generation autonomous cars. To achieve 24/7 autonomous driving, vehicles will rely on the fusion of complementary information streams provided by different sensors. No sensor or camera in operation today can capture all of the information on its own and each has challenges in certain lighting or weather conditions. Passive infrared vision, like that in AdaSky's Viper, when used in a fusion solution, can help close the gaps to provide accurate sight and perception without fail in dynamic lighting conditions, in direct sunlight, in the face of oncoming headlights, and in harsh weather.
The new camera uses an FIR micro-bolometer sensor to detect the temperature of an object. In an ADAS solution, Viper uses proprietary algorithms based on Convolutional Neural Networks to classify obstacles and show them in a cockpit display to give the driver an early warning. This warning comes several seconds earlier than it would when using a conventional sensor in the visible wavelength and is even faster than what is possible with the human eye.
"With the help of ST, we have created the first high-resolution thermal camera for autonomous vehicles with minimal size, weight, and power consumption--and no moving parts. ST's access to, and expertise in, ultra-low-power design, IP that is fully qualified for automotive applications, and 28nm FD-SOI technology have been vital to meeting the severe power constraints that would challenge our sensors' performance," said Amotz Kats, Vice President Hardware, AdaSky. "We're in a position to deliver a breakthrough solution to revolutionize and disrupt the autonomous vehicle market because of ST's mastery of automotive qualification and its strong manufacturing supply chain, which grants reliability, long-term support, and business continuity to car makers throughout the whole life of their production."
"AdaSky has developed a powerful infrared-based vision sensor and valuable algorithms that add a complementary and incredibly valuable additional layer of information to the existing sensors that will soon be driving autonomous vehicles," said Fabio Marchio, Group Vice President and General Manager, Automotive Digital Division, STMicroelectronics. "By addressing the challenging and difficult driving conditions that remain one of the largest concerns to true, always-on, 24/7 autonomous driving, AdaSky is enabling these driverless systems."
Viper has been designed in ST's proprietary 28nm FD-SOI manufacturing technology and uses ST IP that is fully qualified for automotive applications. Prototypes are under evaluation by carmakers, targeting a start of production in 2020.
About AdaSky
AdaSky brings far infrared technology to the automotive market, aiming to empower the vehicles of tomorrow to see further and better - whenever. AdaSky's founding team is made up of veterans from the semiconductor, thermal sensor, image processing and computer vision market. They have been developing state-of-the-art FIR sensing solutions for the last decade. Now, the company's multidisciplinary team of experienced engineers has further innovated and adapted the solution to the specific needs of self-driving cars, making AdaSky's solution a critical addition to cars to eliminate vision and perception weaknesses for fully-autonomous vehicles.
Learn more at http://www.adasky.com/.
About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life. ST's products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices.
By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.
In 2017, the Company's net revenues were $8.35 billion, serving more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com.
For more information, please contact
AdaSky
Caster Communications
+1 401-792-7080
adasky@castercomm.com
Alex Crabb +1 401-318-2229
STMicroelectronics
Michael Markowitz
Director Technical Media Relations
Michael.markowitz@st.com +1 781 591 0354
[1] Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator
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