Automotive electronics innovator Desay SV Automotive yesterday said that it is one step closer to becoming a Level-4 player in the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, with the launch of its third-generation Intelligent Processing Unit (IPU-03).
Powered by NVIDIA's Drive AGX Xavier platform, the IPU-03 will enable Xpeng Motors of China to achieve Level 3 autonomous driving capability in the company's latest and future car model launches.
Among the key features that Desay SV Automotive has integrated into its Level-3 Autonomous Vehicle System includes:
- High-Speed Lane Change Assist (LCA), which assists the driver in making safe lane changing during high speed drive
- Safe Distance Assist (SDA), which assists the driver in keeping safe distance from other vehicles while in traffic jam
- Active Parking Assist (APA), which assists the driver in making easy parking
- Automated Valet Parking (AVP), which enables the vehicle to perform self-parking (without driver).
Furthermore, the company has integrated multiple signals and information derived from the multitude and array of vehicle sensors (e.g. radars, lidar, camera, ultra-sonic, etc.) and performs complex data processing as well as fusion of derived information.
All these in-house development efforts were performed with a high degree of knowledge in deep and machine learning algorithms coupled with strong artificial intelligence capabilities.
Safety first
With its stringent regulations placed on safety, Desay SV Automotive has invested heavily to ensure the IPU-03 meets all safety requirements and expectations through the use of a robust software architecture and framework.
QNX Safety OS, an industry-proven operating system is adopted for the NVIDIA-Xavier general purpose computing unit (GPU), whereas Microsar, an AutoSar compliant RTOS which includes functional safety, has been chosen for the specific purpose micro-computing unit (MCU).
These powerful and intelligent GPU and MCU, in combination with a robust design philosophy for hardware and software, provide a firmware which meets ASIL-D standard of the ISO26262, thus guaranteeing the safety requirement of the intelligent system.
Massive data and computing capacity
The choice in adopting a powerful GPU (NVIDIA-Xavier), which has the capability to transact massive data and computing capacity of up to 30 trillion operations per second (TOPS), enables it to process array of data received from the multitude vehicle's sensors (radars, lidar, camera, ultra-sonic, etc.), in real time and concurrently executing algorithms such as perception, positioning, path planning and control without latency impact.
The IPU-03 has also been designed to support a wide range of external devices, including a 12-channel camera sources, a 12-channel CAN bus connectivity, a 2-channel LVDS for video processing and an 8-channel 1 gigabit and 1-channel 10 gigabit in-vehicle Ethernet for high speed data communication.
Through almost a decade of investment in autonomous vehicle technologies, Desay SV Automotive has augmented its technological capability and has broadened its product portfolio to include new offerings such as IPU-03.
Capitalising on a combination of intelligent driving assistance systems, artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art sensors, and specifically designed for complex use cases, scenarios and driving experiences, Desay SV Automotive is able to provide its partners a comprehensive, integrated and ready-to-use systems, including algorithms, software and sensors, thus elevating the vehicle to next level of intelligence.
Desay SV Automotive's investment extends beyond technologies and research & development. Preparing into the next decade, it embarked on a journey towards a digital factory under the platform of Industry 4.0. With quality and efficiency as its driving force, it implemented world-leading production processes and industry-leading manufacturing operations. This resulted in its capability to manufacture a highly automated and high quality 24GHz/77GHz millimetre-wave radar and high definition (HD) camera meeting the stringent automotive requirements.
The company looks forward to working with partners in the autonomous driving. Its global customers such as General Motors, Volkswagen, Mazda, Toyota, Volvo and Caterpillar, have long relied on its ability to deliver products of high quality. Desay SV Automotive’s extension into the third plant, which is currently under construction, will facilitate its capability to manufacture beyond 20 million units annually.
