A worrying sight for the ride-hailing company Uber, Mobileye NV and Delphi Automotive PLC announced they would be joining forces to create the first fully autonomous driving system by 2019.
Both companies are counting on developing a system that will quickly transform any vehicle, from pickup trucks and SUVs to small cars into a self-driving entity. The tie-up will be disclosed on Tuesday, and signifies a big move towards a future full of autonomous vehicles.
The idea is to mix the strengths of each company to make possible the driving system in such a short time. Delphi is a specialist in software, cameras, sensors, LiDAR and radar, while Mobileye specializes in real-time mapping.
“This partnership will allow us to give our customers an increased level of automated capabilities faster and more cost effective. The collective expertise of our two organizations will accelerate the creation of new approaches and skills that would likely not have been possible working alone. This is a win-win for both companies and our customers” stated Kevin Clark, Delphi’s CEO.
The project designed by Mobileye and Delphi focuses on self-drive ruling
In January 207, Mobileye and Delphi expect to demonstrate a prototype of their system, which is supposed to self-drive through tough road conditions. The prototype can perform stunts such as making left turns across multiple traffic lanes and merging into highway traffic, at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
However, the real driving system won’t be ready until 2019. And then, having the capacity to integrate the system into vehicles will be a reality by 2021 or 2022. Amnon Shashua, Mobileye Chairman and Chief Technology Officer has stated “any timing hurdles” will be overcome and in the end, the system will offer a “new level of driving intelligence.”
The idea is that the program will have the ability to make complex decisions under difficult circumstances, perfectly mimicking a human driver’s ability.
The market for autonomous cars is rising
Delphi and Mobileye are not the only companies who are interested in this new technology. General Motors and Alphabet Inc. are working hard to release their self-driving vehicles before the pair does.
Uber is already testing their autonomous cabs in Pittsburgh, the product of its partnership with Volvo, which plans to launch a public test of self-driving cars in Sweden next year. Also, Tesla Motors Inc. and Nissan Motor Co. hope to launch their autonomous systems before the decade ends.
However, Delphi and Mobileye’s project could be more useful to smaller and midsize car companies that cannot afford their team of scientists working on the technology. On the other hand, Mobileye already has partnerships with BMW AG and other companies.
The difficulties of the new technology inside driverless vehicles
Mobileye also supplied core technology for Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system, until a fatal crash earlier this year made the partnership split. This incident shed light on the brittle relationship between automakers and the company that supplies the technology.
“At this early stage, I think there is an interest by automakers to be able to do as much as they can themselves. The automakers ultimately are going to be liable for all these systems. The need to know what the systems are doing” said Jeremy Carlson, an analyst with consultants IHS Automotive.
Source: Wall Street Journal