[240326] #Volkswagen #Stellantis #Hesai

1. Volkswagen (VWAGY) & Mobileye to Work on Automated Driving

• Volkswagen AG (VWAGY) is intensifying its focus on automated and autonomous driving by expanding strategic partnerships and accelerating development efforts.
• It is deepening its collaboration with Mobileye Global Inc. (MBLY) to introduce new automated driving features in series production vehicles, utilizing MBLY’s SuperVision and Chauffeur platforms.
• Volkswagen’s Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche brands will integrate these technologies into their model ranges to offer premium-oriented driving features with various powertrain configurations.
• The enhancements include advanced assistance systems for highway and urban driving scenarios, such as automated overtaking, halting at red lights and stop signs, and navigating intersections and roundabouts.
• Mobileye will also provide technology components for automated driving to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, aiming for fully automated driving capabilities in the long term.
• Volkswagen’s subsidiary, Volkswagen ADMT, plans to integrate these components into fully electric development platforms, particularly targeting self-driving ID. 
• The company aims for a proprietary complete automated driving system developed through its subsidiary, Cariad, to be integrated into the Scalable Systems Platform.
• The collaboration with Mobileye accelerates deployment of the E3 1.2 architecture, while the long-term goal remains to prioritize in-house automated driving solutions.

2. Hyper to build L4 autonomous vehicles with NVIDIA Thor chips in 2025

• NVIDIA and GAC AION’s Hyper sub-brand announced collaboration during NVIDIA GTC 2024 conference to produce L4 autonomous vehicles.
• Next-generation L4 autonomous driving cars from Hyper will be powered by NVIDIA DRIVE Thor chips, boasting 2,000 TOPS of computing power, with mass production set for 2025.
• NVIDIA DRIVE Thor integrates various intelligent functions into a unified AI platform, enabling autonomous driving, automated parking, driver monitoring, and AI cockpit experiences.
• Hyper will integrate NVIDIA DRIVE Thor into its central in-car computing platform for smart electric vehicle models, enhancing performance compared to NVIDIA DRIVE Orin chip, thus improving safety and driving capabilities.
• Hyper’s digital chassis, with central computing platforms and domain controllers supported by NVIDIA DRIVE Orin SoC, enables industry-leading intelligent driving systems.
• Current flagship models, Hyper GT and HT, equipped with LiDAR sensors and NVIDIA DRIVE Orin, achieved L2+ intelligent assisted driving functions on expressways and in some urban areas.
• Hyper obtained the first batch of L3 autonomous driving road test licenses in China, conducting real-road tests and launching mass-produced models with L3 hardware configurations, like the Hyper GT Advanced Intelligent Driving 3L Edition.

3. Stellantis Ventures Invests in Breakthrough, Cost-effective LiDAR Technology for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

• Stellantis Ventures, the corporate venture fund of Stellantis N.V., has invested in SteerLight, a developer of high-performance LiDAR sensing technology.
• SteerLight’s LiDAR employs silicon photonics technology, combining a universal semiconductor material with the speed of photons to sense the environment in three dimensions with higher resolution, precision, and lower production cost compared to existing LiDAR systems.
• The technology aims to enhance advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving capabilities for future Stellantis brand vehicles.
• Stellantis prioritizes identifying groundbreaking technologies like SteerLight’s LiDAR to deliver substantial value to customers as part of its Dare Forward 2030 initiatives, with automated driving enhancements being a top priority.
• SteerLight’s CEO François Simoens highlights the benefit of Stellantis’ recognition and investment in advancing LiDAR technology for industrial and mobility applications.
• SteerLight utilizes Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR based on silicon photonics technology, offering a robust and compact system with no moving parts, which addresses size and cost challenges of current LiDAR technology for vehicles.
• Stellantis Ventures, since its inception in 2022, has invested in 12 startups and one mobility fund, aiming to develop cutting-edge technologies that benefit customers and society as a whole.

4.  dSPACE integrates Hesai lidar models into the AURELION sensor simulation solution, accelerating the development of autonomous driving applications

• Hesai Technology and dSPACE have formed a technology partnership to accelerate the development of ADAS and Level 4 autonomous driving applications.
• As part of the partnership, dSPACE integrated sensor models from Hesai into its sensor simulation solution, AURELION, facilitating easy access for developers to Hesai lidar models.
• The integration of Hesai lidar models into AURELION expands testing capabilities and reduces costs for customers in the development and validation phases.
• AURELION, dSPACE’s sensor simulation solution, generates photo-realistic images for camera simulation in real time and uses ray tracing to calculate realistic raw data for radar and lidar.
• Hesai lidar products have been widely used in various applications worldwide, including passenger and commercial vehicles with ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and robotic applications like last-mile delivery robots and AGVs.
• Developers of autonomous driving applications can now utilize high-quality Hesai lidar models on the AURELION platform for development, testing, and validation, reducing costs and speeding up the development process.

5. Hyundai-backed Motional buys time with a bridge loan

• Motional, an autonomous vehicle technology startup, has secured a bridge loan to provide temporary financial relief while it seeks longer-term funding options.
• CEO Karl Iagnemma informed staff through a companywide email that the board of directors approved the bridge financing, allowing additional time for discussions on longer-term funding and strategic direction.
• The terms and amount of the bridge loan were not disclosed in the email, and Motional did not respond to requests for comment.
• Motional was formed through a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, but Aptiv announced in January that it would no longer allocate capital to the endeavor, leaving Hyundai as the sole backer.
• Motional plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service in 2024 and operates autonomous vehicle taxi services in Las Vegas and an autonomous delivery pilot with Uber Eats in Santa Monica.
• The company has reduced costs by cutting about 5% of its workforce, mainly affecting administrative roles and some employees in Boston, following previous layoffs in December 2022 that affected operations in Pittsburgh.