disruptionhub.com
Introduction
Autonomous Vehicles This year’s Consumer Electronics Show could be summed up in one word: Cars. However, the vehicles on show at CES 2017 weren’t just flashy supercars with futuristic bodywork. Automakers and software developers alike used the event to demonstrate their latest developments in autonomous (and electric) technology. The end of car ownership as we know it has been talked about for some time, ever since the first driverless car prototypes hit the roads almost a decade ago. Now, the market is swarming with major manufacturers and ambitious start-ups. In the last few years, a rush of companies have revealed Level 2 and 3 semi-autonomous systems. With most businesses looking towards 2020 as the year of mass Level 4 and 5 autonomy, who’s in the race to build the first, and the best, driverless vehicles?
2 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Autonomous driving levels 0 to 5 The driver is in complete control of the vehicle in traditional, manual drive. There are no driver-assistance systems.
Most of the vehicle’s functions are carried out by the driver, although some can be completed by the car with supervision. This includes acceleration and steering.
The majority of functions still remain under the driver’s control, but driver-assistance systems can be applied to acceleration, breaking and deceleration using information about the surrounding environment. As this happens, the driver has their hands off of the steering wheel and their feet off of the pedals. They can take back control at any time. The driver is still necessary, but can hand over complete control of safety-critical settings to the vehicle in certain conditions, e.g., congested traffic. The driver can intervene, but is rarely needed. Level 3 represents the transfer of control from the driver to the car.
All major functions are undertaken by the car itself and the driver doesn’t have to intervene or take control. Autonomy can be achieved in the vast majority of environments, except in extreme, off-road conditions.
All functions are carried out by the vehicle and the car’s performance is able to match that of a human driver. Autonomy is still slightly limited in terms of extreme environments, but can be achieved in almost all situations.
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Contents
50 companies
4 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
a
Automotive
Hardware & software
Audi 6
Apple 28
BMW 7
Baidu 29
Faraday Future
8
Comma.ai 30
Fiat Chrysler
9
DeepScale 31
Ford 10
Delphi 32
General Motors
Didi Chuxing
11
33
Honda 12
Drive.a 34
Hyundai 13
Fisker 35
Jaguar Landrover
14
Five.ai 36
John Deere
15
Google 37
Lucid Motors
16
Hitachi 38
Mazda 17
Intel 39
Mercedes Benz
Microsoft 40
18
Mitsubishi 19
Mitsubishi Electric
41
Nissan
20
Mobileye 42
Porsche 21
Nauto 43
Peugeot Citreon
22
NextEv 44
Subaru 23
NuTonomy 45
Tesla 24
Nvidia 46
Toyota 25
Oxbotica 47
Volvo 26
QNX 48
Volkswagen 27
Qualcomm 49 Seegrid 50 Uber 51 Udacity 52 Valeo 53 Wheego 54 Zoox 54
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Automakers
Audi
Nvidia for ten years. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017, the two firms announced their plans to create AI-equipped autonomous cars which will be on the road by 2020. The system
Audi was amongst the first major manufacturers to take an interest in autonomous technology, and began testing driverless systems as of 2013. Audi has claimed that the new A8 model will be the first fully autonomous car on sale and is due to hit the market this year. Level 2 autonomous features include ‘traffic jam assist’ , which is able to fully control the car in congested traffic up to 60mph, and park assist, which does exactly what you’d expect it to via a smartphone app. The next generation A8, A7, A6 and new Q8 cars in Audi’s autonomous range are also reported to include predictive technology that learns about user behaviour and preferences. The cars will also monitor the driver and switch to a ‘fail-safe’ mode if they fall ill or leave the driver’s seat. Audi has been working with American software company
6 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
includes an autopilot function which reads the surrounding environment and makes decisions based on real-time information. Audi also demonstrated their autonomous Q7 model at the conference. The automaker has received permission to begin testing on public roads in California and other State in 2018.
BMW BMW, now a century-old automotive company, joins the likes of Audi as one of the first big automakers to begin developing autonomous cars. In 2014, they released a car which could break,
deliverables include an emergency stop feature
steer and accelerate without intervention from the
which recognises if the driver is incapacitated. At
driver, demonstrating its capabilities by navigating
this year’s CES conference in Las Vegas, BMW has
through traffic cones. In 2015, BMW worked with
announced that it will create a pilot version of their
Chinese company Baidu to test autonomous Series
ultimate autonomous project, the iNext, which
3 models in China, but the partnership broke
will be fully unveiled in 2021. The company will
down. However, since the summer of last year,
deploy a test fleet of 40 vehicles on public roads
BMW has been working with software developers
in the second half of 2017. Harald Kruger, BMW
Intel and Mobileye to further the development of
chairman of the board, has described the iNext as
driverless technology. The 2016 7 Series model
“the next generation of electro-mobility,� implying
includes a traffic jam assistant which allows the
that the car will be electric. The company has
car to apply corrective steering and follow the
decided to take an open, collaborative approach
car ahead. As well as this, the car can park itself
to development, encouraging competitors to join
with no external influence from the driver. Other
together to fuel advancements.
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Automakers
Faraday Future Faraday Future is an American technology company which was founded in 2014 and focuses on the development of intelligent electric vehicles. They have received funding from Chinese electronics company LeTV, who are also developing their own autonomous products. The young firm revealed its first concept vehicle at CES 2016, and at this year’s conference they debuted their first consumer product, the FF91. The model is described as ‘the first of the species’. It’s currently the world’s fastest-accelerating electric car, directly competing with electric vehicle pioneers Tesla Motors. It is available to pre-order now before regular orders open in 2018, and is reported to cost $10,000. Last June, Faraday Future received a permit to test autonomous vehicles from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, making them one of fourteen other companies to receive testing permission. Every
8 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
test vehicle uses electronic interfaces and sensors which are connected to motors, brakes, steering and other controls, and require one human test driver to supervise the car. As well as California, Faraday Future has plans to test in Detroit and has applied for a permit there. The start up’s progress demonstrates that younger companies can catch up to the biggest players in the race to create consumer-ready driverless cars, as well as emphasising the close relationship between electric and autonomous vehicles.
Fiat Chrysler Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, began developing autonomy in 1995. At the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, CEO Sergio Marchionne stated that the company would not ‘get carried away’ with autonomous
connectivity and driver-specific deliverables, it’s
vehicles before they were financially plausible.
also got an interesting external lighting system
None-the-less, the company has developed a
which will be very important in communicating
new Portal concept car which was debuted at
the vehicle’s behaviour to surrounding
CES 2017. The new model is an electric-battery
pedestrians. In-car voice recognition allows the
powered vehicle, with Level 3 semi-autonomous
Portal to set up user preferences and respond to
capabilities which will eventually be upgraded to
commands. Chrysler worked with Samsung and
fully-driverless Level 4 settings. According to the
Panasonic to develop connectivity and display, and
company, the Portal is designed for ‘millennials’.
teamed up with Google in 2016, making them the
It comes with V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle
first automaker to go into partnership with the
communication) and (V2I) vehicle to infrastructure
tech giants. The two companies have specifically
communication. The Portal isn’t really a car at all
worked together to develop self-driving
– it’s actually a van that can seat six passengers,
capabilities in 100 Pacific hybrid mini-vans, and
which isn’t surprising considering that’s where
although they are currently being road-tested
the company’s expertise lie. Among the usual
there are no plans to make them publicly available.
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Automakers
Ford
the automotive industry, this progress may seem slow. According to CEO Mark Fields, Ford hasn’t released self-driving cars yet because they want to make sure that when they do, their model aligns
Ford, one of the oldest and most successful car manufacturers in the world, plans to have developed a fully autonomous vehicle for ride sharing by 2021. The company is working with four different start-ups to achieve this aim, and has doubled its teams working in Silicon Valley and Palo Alto. While they may not be introducing their own driverless cars for another couple of years, Uber and Ford partnered in 2016 to release autonomous taxis in Pittsburgh. The fleet consists of 14 Ford Fusions fitted with 20 cameras, seven lasers and rooftop-mounted GPS. Ford are also testing their own 30-strong fleet of Fusion Hybrids in California. By 2019, Ford will follow in the footsteps of Audi and BMW by introducing two Level 2 autonomous systems – traffic jam assist and automated parking. For such a big name in
10 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
with the company ethos of accessibility. Ford wants to offer an autonomous car that everyone can access, not just those with a bigger budget. That being said, Fields stated that the automaker is currently fulfilling its ‘Ford Smart Mobility’ plan, which prioritises continued R&D into autonomous technology, Internet of Things connectivity and Big Data analytics. So, whilst they may not have revealed a fully driverless car, when they do it will appeal to a mass consumer market.
General Motors General Motors is another major, multinational manufacturer keen to offer autonomous cars. At the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in 2014, GM announced that it planned to introduce auto-pilot capabilities into certain models available to buy in 2016. Up until last year, GM remained quiet about their plans for driverless
and plan to launch their first self-driving vehicle
technology, but have since embarked on what has
via the Lyft app. According to the company, next
been called an ‘aggressive’ policy of expansion.
generation autonomous vehicles will go into
One of their first moves was to purchase
production at GM’s Orion Township factory in
automotive startup Cruise Automation last year
Michigan at the beginning of this year. The electric
for a reported $1 billion, as well as creating a fleet
Bolt EV is currently made at the facility, and the
of 30 electric, self-driving Chevrolet Bolt cars.
driverless cars built by the firm will be based on
Testing began in San Francisco in May, and the
the award-winning model. They will be equipped
following month in Scottsdale in Arizona. Another
with cameras, sensors and LiDAR (Light Detection
key move was investing $500 million in ride
and Ranging) and will be tested on public roads in
hailing app Lyft. Like Ford, GM favour accessibility
Detroit.
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Automakers
Honda
or in urban areas, and developers are reluctant to call it self-driving at all. Towards the end of 2016, however, it was rumoured that Honda had entered into talks with Google’s parent company Alphabet. There’s potential for the automotive
Honda have given their autonomous deliverables
manufacturer to strike a deal with Waymo,
the collective name of Honda Sensing, which
Alphabet’s new unit focusing on autonomous
enables vehicles to follow the car in front and
driving, but an agreement is yet to be confirmed.
keeps the car in the right lane by watching road
Although their current system includes standard
markings. Honda Sensing can also warn the driver
Level 2 autonomy, by 2020 the firm aims to have
of a potential collision risk and apply automated
developed basic automated highway driving.
breaking when a collision is imminent. This
The company’s ultimate aim, looking forward as
technology is available in some of the automaker’s
far as 2040, is to have completely eliminated car
most affordable models, including the Civic LX
crashes in their vehicles.
Sedan which costs under $20,500. The LX is fitted with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) software. Unlike Audi’s traffic jam assist, Honda’s technology can be applied at any speed. Following an increase in traffic related deaths in 2015, some politicians advocate that ADAS should be made available in all light vehicles. Despite this, the system is not recommended for use on back roads
12 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Hyundai Hyundai has already equipped their G90 Sedans
autonomous vehicles with smart domestic spaces.
with semi-autonomy, and is developing full
In short, imagine a car that exists as a detachable
autonomy for its affordable IONIQ range. Last year,
part of the house. At the moment, the autonomous
they began building a new mobility testing ground
IONIQ relies on detailed mapping which removes
near Detroit. The company revealed their low-cost
the need for bulky sensors. While this makes the
driverless car at the 2016 LA Auto Show, stating
vehicle more lightweight and cheaper to produce,
that the vehicle would be demonstrated at CES
it also restricts it to built-up, urban areas. In 2015,
2017. Unlike many other models, Hyundai have
Hyundai teamed up with fellow automaker Kia
opted for a design that, if not for the bold lettering
to invest $2 billion towards new advanced driver
across the body, would not suggest anything
assistance programming and hire more engineers.
unordinary about the car. The main tell-tale sign
They have also announced a partnership with
of an autonomous car is the LiDAR system, usually
IoT giants Cisco to develop Internet-connected
placed on the roof. Hyundai have hidden the laser
settings. When it comes to production, Hyundai
detection system in the front bumper instead. As
have set 2021 as the benchmark for rolling out
well as test driving the IONIQ on LA roads at CES
consumer-ready cars.
2017, the automotive manufacturer also announced their ‘Mobility Vision’ concept, which mixes
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Automakers
Jaguar Land Rover Jaguar Land Rover head of R&D Wolfgang Epple
working on V2V communication called ‘Over
stated at a press event in 2015 that Jaguar Land
the Horizon Warning’ , which will notify vehicles
Rover were interested in developing autonomous
of hazards and obstacles. Staying true to form,
technology, not ‘driverless’ technology. Although
Jaguar Land Rover vehicles won’t be confined to
the company are developing semi and fully
built-up areas – the company is also developing
autonomous capabilities, they still see the driver
autonomous off-roaders. They believe that for
as a key aspect of the driving experience. Despite
a car to be fully autonomous, it needs to be able
some confusion over semantics, the automaker
to cope with different terrains and weather
announced last year that they would begin
conditions. Since the summer of 2016, modified
testing an impressively large fleet of 100 self-
semi-autonomous Range Rover Sports have been
driving cars in the U.K. by 2020. The research
used to navigate off-road environments using
cars will be tested on a 41-mile long route near
cameras, sensors and terrain mapping – although
Coventry, focusing on urban driving environments
a human driver is still present to control the
and motorways. Jaguar Land Rover showcased
steering wheel whilst the car accelerates.
a number of the driverless systems under development at the UK Autodrive demonstrations held in October 2016. Capabilities include Level 2 autonomous systems like Advanced Highway Assist and ‘Safe Pullaway’. Developers are also
14 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
John Deere John Deere manufactures machinery and equipment for agriculture, construction and forestry. They might seem like a surprising name to see on this list, but they’ve actually been
was estimated that over half of farmers use some
working on self-drive technologies for 15 years
form of auto-steer. More than 60% of new John
and are now the leading company in autonomous
Deere tractor models are fitted with AutoTrac
agriculture. Tractors makers in general have been
software and operate in over 100 countries – which
applying satellite technology to plot courses for
makes them the largest operators of autonomous
decades, however John Deere has taken it one step
vehicles worldwide. The American company are
further by removing the need for manual control.
currently working on cab-less concept tractors,
The result of their research is AutoTrac, which
and as if this wasn’t enough, they’ve also
allows the tractor to follow programmed routes
developed an autonomous lawn mower called the
and apply automatic steering. The autonomous
Tango E5, which costs just over £2,000. In 2008,
technology sold by John Deere is less advanced
John Deere released its ITEC Pro guidance product
than that used in fully driverless cars, however
which uses GPS to automate vehicle paths. Instead
the number of tractor models in use which have
of the lasers favoured by automakers, the tractors
driverless capabilities is staggering. Last year, it
use antennas.
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Automakers
Lucid Motors Lucid Motors is a luxury car manufacturer based in California. The company was founded in 2007 by ex-Tesla vice president Bernard Tse, originally as a battery technology company. After receiving Series C funding in 2014, they announced their
for their autonomous cars. At CES 2017, the
first luxury electric vehicle (EV) in December 2016.
automakers revealed the alpha prototype of the
The Lucid Air comes with self-driving capabilities,
new luxury EV, §complete with a full camouflage
but apart from stating that the car would be
paint job. Much like competitors Tesla, Lucid
‘autonomous ready’ , few details were given. It
Motors have promised that all of their cars will
was disclosed, however, that the Lucid Air would
come with the necessary hardware to eventually
include voice controls and a flat-screen TV, and
bring about full autonomy. The cars will be built
be able to change lanes automatically. Eventually,
in Arizona and initially launch in the U.S., with
the model will offer a complete Advanced Driver
plans to expand into Europe and Asia. CTO Peter
Assistance System (ADAS), followed by full
Rawlinson is confident that the self-driving model
autonomy. Lucid Motors have partnered up with
will be consumer-ready by 2019, undercutting
Israeli technology company Mobileye to supply
competitors with their eye on 2020. The Lucid Air,
cameras as well as radar and LiDAR sensors
currently installed with semi-autonomous ADAS settings, will go on sale next year.
16 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Mazda Mazda was last year described by Forbes as perhaps
company is keen to encourage the continuation of
the only car manufacturer not to be working
driving as a recreational, enjoyable activity, it’s clear
on autonomous cars. According to Mazda CEO
that the development of autonomous features has
Masamichi Kogai, driving is about the enjoyment of
been necessary to offer competitive products. All
the journey, not simply getting from A to B. Late in
of the semi-autonomous settings focus on safety,
2016, this position remained seemingly unchanged
retaining the driver as the key actor in the driving
when Managing Director Martin Benders said it
process. Despite suggestions that autonomous cars
made no sense to rely on autonomy first and then
will totally replace traditional ones, the Australian
add human drivers in afterwards. Even so, this
automaker seems more interested in producing
year the company revealed the latest Mazda 3
standard manual vehicles with legacy rotary
Maxx with semi-autonomous capabilities, priced
engines. However, what looks like indifference
at a reasonable $20,500. The Maxx model, as well
is just part of a strategy that integrates semi-
as the new SP25 GT, include automated emergency
autonomous deliverables as seamlessly as possible
breaking controls for use at low speeds. There’s also
with the human driver. For example, Mazda’s Active
G-Vectoring Control, which automatically steadies
Driving Display shows important information on
the vehicle on corners. The SP25 GT vehicles are
the windscreen itself, without the driver having to
equipped with Level 2 autonomy systems like Driver
avert their attention from the road.
Attention Alert and Lane-Keep Assist. Whilst the
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Automakers
Mercedes Benz Mercedes Benz was an early adopter of driverless cars, opening an R&D centre in 1995 which, to this day, has worked on autonomous driving alongside apps and battery technology. Through
Drive E-Class, which is the tenth generation of
years of research, the automotive company have
their business saloon model. As well as operative
developed the S500 Intelligent Drive program,
settings activated by touch, the E-Class offers a
which they’ve experimented with on special
new semi-autonomous system called DRIVE PILOT.
designated roads in Silicon Valley. The program
Mercedes Benz has also collaborated with software
is marketed as an ‘intelligent partner’ which
platform CityPilot to create an autonomous bus.
combines sensors and systems to detect and even
This year, they received permission from the
respond to dangerous situations, for instance
city of Stuttgart in Germany to begin testing
through automatic breaking. In 2013, the company
autonomous vehicles on public roads. Much like
released its first Level 2 autonomous system called
Uber’s autonomous fleet in Pittsburgh, the cars
DISTRONIC PLUS. As well as this, they successfully
will be monitored by two human operators. The
completed the famous Bertha Benz route using
new models include deep learning technologies,
their autonomous S-Class vehicle. At CES 2016,
GPU and LiDAR sensors. Mercedes have worked
Mercedes Benz revealed the new Intelligent
with European companies like the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Nokia to develop driverless capabilities.
18 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Mitsubishi Mitsubishi, the Japanese automotive firm recently announced plans for an autonomous car due for release in 2020. The company revealed the Emirai3 xAuto at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept car uses AI which uses real time
the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show. Again,
information from the surrounding environment
the technology is decidedly Level 2, focusing
to predict the behaviour of other road users.
on assisted parking and altering speed using
It also has 3D mapping, which is necessary for
information collected by sensors and cameras.
automated parking. On top of this, the car has
Mitsubishi has used some interesting base
some impressive safety settings – for example,
technology to achieve their concept cars, namely
it can apply autonomous breaking and uses early
missile components (yes, missile components)
detection to avoid objects. Through V2V and R2V
such as sonar appliances and incredibly high-
(Road-to-Vehicle) communication, other cars can
precision sensors. Katsumi Adachi, Senior Chief
run alongside the Emirai3 xAuto as it navigates
Engineer at Mitsubishi Electric’s automotive
through different environments. As well as the
division, stated that this year the company will
2015 Emirai, Mitsubishi revealed the electric eX
offer better lane-keeping and automated breaking
Concept SUV with semi-autonomous capabilities at
than competitors. With so many players in the game, it will be interesting to see if Mitsubishi can catch up.
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Automakers
Nissan
which allows the vehicle to change lanes. The next step in their two-year advancement window is to make a completely autonomous system by 2020 that can be used safely in urban environments.
Nissan are a particularly ambitious automotive
At the moment, drivers have to keep their hands
manufacturer that seemed to be a late entrance
in contact with the wheel in order for ProPILOT to
into the race for autonomous cars. Despite this,
function, but this requirement will presumably be
the Japanese automaker plans to have made 10
unnecessary in updated versions of the driverless
different autonomous models available to the
system. One of the most intriguing things about
public by 2020. The company plans to add a new
Nissan’s autonomous plan is their interest in
level of autonomy every couple of years, beginning
developing a car which understands different
with Level 2 ProPILOT in 2016. Through ProPILOT,
social contexts. What that might mean is anyone’s
a vehicle can drive itself on a single lane on the
guess, but it looks like the automaker might equip
motorway, controlling breaking and steering.
their driverless vehicles with external lights like
The first vehicles equipped with the system went
those of Chrysler’s Portal car to communicate
on sale last summer as part of the new Serena
intent.
minivan, which was sold in Japan. Customers had to pay an extra $1,000 for ProPILOT, and an impressive majority of 70% did just that. This year, sales will open to the European market. In 2018, Nissan plans to release a new version of ProPILOT
20 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Porsche Porsche, like Mazda, German have openly stated that their main aim is to offer the best driving experience without necessarily implementing driverless technology. In fact, in November 2016, CEO Oliver Blume bluntly said that when a customer buys a Porsche, they will drive it
of convenience, according to Blume) which will
themselves. By 2020, the year of numerous fully-
include traffic and park assist features. The car will
autonomous releases, Porsche will instead release
also be able to pick up its driver after an excursion
their much-anticipated semi-autonomous EV, the
to a restaurant, for example. This month, motor
Mission E. The electric car was first revealed at the
enthusiasts who had test-driven Porsche’s new
2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and comes with some
but traditional, drive-it-yourself Boxster claimed
interesting deliverables including eye tracking
that it felt more like a self-driving car than other
and gesture control – which point to at least some
semi-autonomous models due to the quality of
driverless capabilities. Even though the company
the driving experience. In short, Porsche stands
seems set against developing fully driverless
in contrast to the rest of the automotive world and
models, they will continue to equip their cars with
seems to be positioning itself as a premium sports
a certain level of semi-autonomy (for the sake
car manufacturer. Whether this bold move will pay off remains to be seen.
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Automakers
Peugeot Citroen Peugeot Citroen, also known as Groupe PSA, is
over if the actual driver shows signs of fatigue or
a multi-national French automaker with a keen
stops paying attention. According to the company,
interest in autonomous technology. In 2015, an
the driver remains in control during autonomous
autonomous prototype developed by the company
processes and can take over at any time – although
journeyed 360 miles from Paris to Bordeaux,
it’s hard not to think of it as a watchful driving
exhibiting auto-speed and independent lane
instructor. PSA see their Level 2 driverless settings as
changing without intervention from a human
a necessary step towards fully self-driving vehicles,
operator. The vehicle also included pedestrian
although as shown they have already ventured
awareness, collision avoidance and automated
successfully into Level 3 capabilities. In April 2016,
breaking. As the car enabled full automation
two Citroen C4 Picasso autonomous prototypes made
without cues from a driver, it achieved Level 3
another successful, driverless journey from Velizy to
autonomy. As of last year, PSA revealed Automated
a major conference in Amsterdam. Peugeot Citroen
Driving, an integrated system which offers
are certainly ambitious about their plans for the
safety-focused Level 2 autonomy including speed
future, and it’s not difficult to see why. The company
management and auto-steering. Through internal
have announced that fully driverless cars will be
and external sensors, the car can check if the
publicly available by 2018.
driver is adhering to correct road safety – for example, applying appropriate speed. Automated Driving is marketed as a co-driver which takes
22 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Subaru Subaru announced plans to integrate Level 2 autonomy into their vehicles last year. Their camera-based driverless system, EyeSight, had already been sold in over one million units by November 2016. EyeSight includes adaptive cruise
the systems are not meant to substitute careful
control, automated breaking and Lane Keep
driving. This year, the company plans to add
Assist. At the end of last year, Subaru models
Traffic Jam Assist to the list, which will enable
including the new 2017 Subaru Legacy came fitted
automated stopping, starting and steering but only
with the system, and was so impressive in terms
up to 40mph. By 2020, Subaru aims to introduce
of technology and safety that all cars equipped
semi-autonomy for use on motorways using radar
with the system have been awarded the highest
sensors and GPS along with existing EyeSight
available rating by the U.S. Insurance Institute
capabilities. The company teamed up with IBM
for Highway Safety (IIHS). EyeSight also has an
Japan last Spring to enhance EyeSight using IBM
awareness not just of other cars on the road, but of
Watson, and also explore the possibility of adding
pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists too. Even
cloud connectivity and Artificial Intelligence.
though this is clearly a step towards higher levels
Like most other manufacturers, Subaru is
of autonomy, Subaru are keen to emphasise that
developing EVs which will come with their current autonomous system as standard.
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Automakers
Tesla
true safety of Autopilot, the company is betatesting its system on the public as opposed to just its own engineers. In October 2016, Tesla stated that all cars made by the company would now
Tesla Motors once had a seeming monopoly
come equipped with hardware that enables self-
on Electric Vehicles, and was one of the first
driving capabilities. In 2015, Musk announced that
companies to introduce autonomous systems
the automotive manufacturer was just two years
into its cars. They are now ‘the one to beat’ when
away from full autonomy. Right on schedule, it
it comes to automotive tech. As early as 2014,
was revealed in October 2016 that all cars made by
CEO Elon Musk was openly discussing the arrival
Tesla would be fitted with the hardware needed to
of driverless vehicles by 2020. Before Mercedes
deliver total autonomy. The driverless Model S and
caught up, Tesla were the first automaker to
Model X lines are currently in the production stage.
boast lane-change technology. Their Level 2
Tesla, ambitious as always, aims to demonstrate
autonomous system, revealed at the end of 2015,
the ability of their autonomous vehicles by
is called Autopilot. Capabilities include auto-
completing a driverless journey across the U.S. by
steer, automatic lane change, auto-park, collision
the end of this year.
warning and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control. Unfortunately for Tesla, Autopilot has been involved in a number of crashes – in May 2016, one driver even died in an incident with a semiautonomous Model S. Despite questions over the
24 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Toyota Toyota spends more on research (around $10 billion per year) than any other car manufacturer. Despite this, the company is a latecomer to the driverless race, currently playing a game of catch-up with
Google was using Toyota cars as the basis for
other automotive businesses. The announcement
their self-drive technology as early as 2012. The
of a $1 billion investment in a brand new Toyota
automaker later turned down a partnership with
Research Institute focused on autonomous vehicles
the tech giants, supposedly to protect their own
and robotics shows just how serious they are
manufacturing expertise. As of last year, Toyota’s
about creating a competitive model. The company
wary position on driverless tech has taken a
is also entering partnerships with Stanford
U-turn. Since 2016, the company has been testing
University, the University of Michigan and the
a semi-autonomous model which is expected to
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Of the two
be able to drive itself on motorways. The car is
emerging camps in the development of autonomy,
called the ‘Teammate Concept’ , and will hit the
Toyota joins Mazda, Porsche and Subaru on the
market in – you guessed it – 2020. At CES 2017,
side that envisions integrated driverless controls
Toyota jumped camps to join the fully autonomous
rather than fully-fledged, self-driving systems.
enthusiasts and revealed the Concept-i, a
Whilst Toyota may be a self-confessed latecomer,
driverless car which will be consumer ready in 2030.
disruptionhub.com / 25
Automakers
Vovlo
autonomous cars. In October, their new Volvo XC90 SUVs hit the roads in Pittsburgh, which Uber have already established as their territory. Another partner is Ericsson, tasked with providing the technology to stream media via the car’s
Volvo have been important players in the
dashboard. Volvo is also working independently,
development of driverless vehicles. At the 2015 LA
and ambitiously plans to achieve full autonomy
International Auto Show, the Swedish car-makers
this year. At the moment, the manufacturer is
demonstrated their commitment to a future of
preparing a fleet of 100 fully driverless cars for
driverless cars by revealing ‘Concept 26’ , AKA the
testing in Beijing as part of the ‘Drive-Me’ trial
Time Machine, which is a sleek interior system
program – which will also be launched in London
for autonomous vehicles. As of 2016, Volvo have
early this year. Following this period of testing,
developed their own semi-autonomous system
the vehicles will be available for customers in
called Pilot Assist, which has been introduced
the company’s native Sweden. For now, the
in all 2017 models including the popular S90
autonomous features will be limited to roads that
Sedan. Capabilities include the standard lane-
can be GPS tracked.
keeping, traffic-following and speed-monitoring features. The system works by using cameras and sensors, and the company has revealed that future autonomy will be enabled by ultrasonic sensors, surround radar and long-range radar. Last year, the automaker joined forces with Uber to develop
26 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Volkswagen Volkswagen is the largest car manufacturer
using a touch sensitive steering wheel which
worldwide. Having recently suffered from a high-
retracts into the dashboard once driverless mode
profile diesel emissions scandal, the company
is activated, an Augmented Reality display that
is looking to new technology to future-proof
shows important information on the windscreen
its business strategy. However, according to
and V2V communication. Autonomous features
VW Group CEO Matthias Muller, plans for fully
are available up to 80mph, and the van is expected
autonomous cars were laid down in 2015. Their
to go on sale sometime between 2022 and 2025.
Electronics Research Laboratory in Silicon Valley
At CES earlier this month, VW showcased I.D.
is currently focused on autonomous technology,
Concept, an electric, semi-autonomous car which
connectivity-enabled driving and a concept called
will be market-ready in 2020. Driverless features
eMobility – in other words, the development of
will come as standard, however it’s uncertain
EVs. Electric and autonomous cars seem to go
as to what these will be. For now, it’s safe to
hand in hand, characterising the future of the
assume that they will include Level 2 capabilities
automotive industry. At the 2017 Detroit auto
such as automated breaking. VW has teamed
show, VW revealed their I.D. Buzz concept van,
up with various academic partners including
an EV which will go into direct competition with
Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute
Chrysler’s new Portal. The I.D. Buzz is designed
of Technology and the University of California-
for autonomous as well as traditional journeys,
Berkeley.
disruptionhub.com / 27
Hardware & Software
Apple It’s been speculated that notoriously secretive tech giants Apple have been quietly tinkering with driverless technology since 2015. Their mysterious research into self-driving cars has been widely
that they would focus on the Operating System
referred to as ‘Project Titan’ , but unsurprisingly,
within vehicles rather than vehicles themselves.
rumours remained unconfirmed. It wasn’t until
As testament to this, Apple have released CarPlay.
December 2016 that the software company finally
CarPlay is an in-car info-entertainment system
admitted that they were developing autonomous
that syncs the driver’s smartphone with the
vehicles, aiming to sell around 500,000 Apple
car display via a lightning cable. Whilst CarPlay
cars per year. Apple have also contacted the U.S.
might sound like an accident waiting to happen,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
it responds to voice controls and uses Siri to relay
(NHTSA) to gather information about the best
information, which means the driver can keep
strategy to take in developing self-driving, electric
their eyes on the road. CarPlay is compatible
vehicles. They’re also poaching staff from top car
across 200 different models, and has proved
manufacturers, including Tesla. Even though Apple
popular with manufacturers as it saves them the
openly stated its interest in autonomous tech,
hassle of designing their own info-entertainment
just two months before this the company alluded
platforms. At the moment, Apple is opening a number of new R&D facilities suspiciously close to leading automakers like Fiat Chrysler.
28 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Baidu
Motor to create a prototype that could navigate a closed road, overtake other vehicles at speed and avoid a bicycle. The car was showcased at the 2016 World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, alongside an announcement that Baidu had teamed up with
Baidu is a Chinese software company that
Foton Motor Group to develop an autonomous
was founded in 2000 and began researching
truck with the modest name of ‘Super Truck’.
autonomous technology in 2014. The Internet
This is an example of how driverless trucks and
provider already has expertise in AI, deep learning,
vans are generating just as much interest as
big data and advanced mapping, which have all
cars. None-the-less, Baidu plans to release a
come into play to fuel their automotive vision to
small number of autonomous cars in 2018, with
sense and navigate without human input. Having
wider production beginning in 2020. By 2030, the
previously worked with BMW, Baidu called off
Chinese firm stated that all of their cars would
the partnership due to conflicting interests in
come with fully or highly autonomous capabilities.
November 2016. The company have now turned
The vehicles currently tested by Baidu have Level
to Ford to provide the models for U.S. testing. In
4 driverless status, which means that they can
August 2016, they were awarded an Autonomous
successfully complete safe journeys without
Vehicle Testing Permit from California’s
human intervention.
Department for Motor Vehicles. Baidu and Ford have jointly invested $150 million in Velodyne, their chosen provider of autonomy-enabling LiDAR technology. They have also worked with Chinese manufacturers Chery, BYD and BAIC
disruptionhub.com / 29
Hardware & Software
Comma.ai
the organisation responded by promptly issuing a ‘cease and desist’ warning. Eventually, the project was dropped. One month
Comma.ai is a vehicle automation and machine
later, comma.ai open-sourced
learning company, set up by George Hotz in 2015.
their self-driving software
Hotz is a 27-year old American hacker known for
(named Open Pilot) as well as
hijacking the iPhone in 2007 and, much to Apple’s
a build-your-own hardware
annoyance, making it comply with carriers other
platform called Comma Neo. Startup Neodriven
than AT&T. Now, he is using his knowledge of AI to
used the software to create a car-mountable
challenge the likes of Tesla in the race to create the
computer which was demonstrated at CES 2017 in
first fully autonomous cars. Comma.ai is firmly
a Honda Civic. The car was able to follow traffic,
focused on software, with a view to develop and
keep within lanes and apply automatic breaking.
sell a conversion kits that can make any traditional
Hotz has claimed that he has entered talks with
car made after 1996 into a driverless vehicle. In
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, with a view to selling his
2015, Hotz revealed plans to create a $1,000 product
technology to the automaker and replacing their
called Comma One that could give any car semi-
current software partner Mobileye. No agreement
autonomous capabilities. This might sound like an
has been confirmed, but Hotz remains confident
ambitious pipedream, but the technology has been
that his company can even outdo the likes of
used to successfully create an autonomous Acura
Google. At CES 2017, he said that comma.ai wants
ILX. Unfortunately, this was not well-received by
to become the Android of autonomous driving.
the California Department for Motor Vehicles –
30 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
DeepScale
the Silicon Valley Deep Learning Group in 2016, Iandola stated that DeepScale had the necessary ingredients to build the best perception systems for practical driverless technology. He emphasised that DNNs had overtaken algorithms and were
DeepScale is a mysterious startup that was
the more efficient way to move forward with
founded in 2015 by Forrest Iandola, a PhD graduate
autonomous software. DeepScale is one of
from the University of California, Berkley, and
many new companies quietly investing in the
Kurt Keutzer, a Professor of Electronic Engineering
development of next generation technologies,
and Computer Science (EECS), also based at
and have been flagged as a startup to keep close
Berkley. The team includes two more Berkley
watch on over the course of 2017. At the moment,
graduates with degrees in EECS. According to their
DeepScale’s online presence is understated at best,
website, which is minimalist to say the least, the
however the company has divulged that it has
company provides perception for autonomous
entered talks with a number of potential partners.
vehicles. The group’s technology mainly focuses on training data for Machine Learning algorithms and rapid deep neural networks (DNN), with an aim to deploy DNN in connected Internet of Things applications. Co-founder Iandola has given a number of presentations concerning perception for autonomous driving, including the 2016 Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR). At an event organised by
disruptionhub.com / 31
Hardware & Software
Delphi Automotive Delphi Automotive is a U.K.-based automaker
concept which uses cloud-based technology.
which also supplies automotive technologies.
Alongside fellow software developers Mobileye,
They have received support from the European
Delphi demonstrated an autonomous Audi kitted
Union in the form of EU grants for their operations
out with ADAS at CES 2017 earlier this month.
in Hungary, Poland and Romania. In 2015, the
The vehicle navigated the streets of LA smoothly
company announced that it was working to
without human intervention. In November 2016,
improve self-drive capabilities, and debuted
Delphi and Mobileye also signed a deal with Intel
their first autonomous model at CES 2015. The
to provide high-power processors. The companies
car, named Roadrunner, successfully completed
have stated that they will bring a fully self-
a 9-day, 3,400-mile journey from San Francisco
driving, Level 4 autonomous system to market in
Bay in California to New York City. The vehicle
2019. The system will reportedly be available for
used long-range and short-range radars, vision-
a variety of different models. Looking forward,
based cameras, LiDAR technology, intelligent
Delphi envisions a future where road fatalities and
software algorithms, as well as ADAS. A team of
incidents are completely eradicated.
engineers were present throughout the process. In the summer of 2016, Delphi were chosen by the Singapore Land Transport Agency to test a fleet of fully autonomous taxis in the city. The project is part of a ‘mobility-on-demand’ transport
32 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Didi Chuxing Didi Chuxing is the world’s largest ride sharing company, making remarkable progress since it was founded in 2012. In summer 2016, Apple made a $1 billion investment in the Chinese company, supposedly to learn about the autonomous vehicle market in China. Last August, in a $35 billion deal, Didi Chuxing acquired Uber China after the company failed to make an impact. Towards the end of 2016, CEO Cheng Wei revealed that the company was looking into developing its own driverless car project, and has already entered
Silicon Valley for new talent. It’s still uncertain
talks with driverless startup UiSee Technology.
as to whether Didi Chuxing will acquire UiSee, or
UiSee is currently working on road-scanning
build up its own team, or both – but either way,
technology and showcased a fully autonomous EV
the resources gained from buying out Uber will
at CES 2017. The two companies have openly stated
undoubtedly help them in their development. The
that their visions for the future are compatible,
company have also teamed up with VW to provide
so a partnership seems likely. As well as other
a high-end, electric car hailing service which
Chinese firms, Didi Chuxing is also looking to
could, in future, become autonomous.
disruptionhub.com / 33
Hardware & Software
Drive.ai
focus on perception. However, they are also interested in making cars more human and allowing them to communicate with the world. This communication will be achieved using
Drive.ai uses artificial intelligence technology
sensors, LED lights and sound. The company
for self-driving vehicles. The company was
hasn’t revealed any plans concerning hardware
founded in 2015 by a team of graduates from
development, although they have hinted at a
Stanford University and aims to apply deep
number of anonymous auto partners. Ultimately,
learning to autonomous cars. After keeping
Drive.ai wants to sell the brains of the car. At the
quiet about their research, the group publicly
moment, the startup has created a roof-mounted
announced some details about what they had
kit that can be fitted to any vehicle and has been
been developing in August 2016, as well as new
testing it on different models since last summer.
board member Steve Girsky, formerly of General Motors. Last April, the company received an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit, allowing them to experiment on Californian roads. Drive. ai sees AI as a vital platform for enabling a car to understand the surrounding environment, although they are still using popular technologies like radar and LiDAR. Like fellow universityborn start-up DeepScale, the Stanford graduates
34 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Fisker Inc. Fisker Inc. was launched in 2016 as a re-branded Fisker Automotive. The company appears to be particularly focused on electric vehicles, and founder Henrik Fisker has stated that its first EV will be revealed in the second half of 2017. Late
remains anonymous. Despite a lack of details
last year, the automotive company publicised
concerning autonomy, the car will be able to travel
plans for a luxury electric car called the EMotion,
400 miles on a single charge. If this promise
which, according to the company, will rival
materialises, Fisker will boast the highest range
Tesla’s existing models. The EMotion will come
of any EV (autonomous or not) on the market.
with the necessary hardware to facilitate fully
Tesla’s Model 3 pales in comparison with a range
autonomous driving, but how this will be achieved
of 215 miles. It wouldn’t be the first time that
remains unknown. Fisker Inc. first expressed
Tesla has clashed with Henrik Fisker. The founder
an interest in autonomous cars in July 2016, so
of Fisker Inc. originally worked for Tesla before
the integration of some driverless features into
the company unsuccessfully attempted to sue
any new models isn’t exactly a surprise. It might
him for stealing plans. With few (if any) details to
be an expected move, but everything else about
work from, fellow automakers will simply have to
the self-drive capabilities are anyone’s guess. At
wait and see if Fisker Inc. can deliver a competitive
the moment, Fisker’s chosen technology supplier
model.
disruptionhub.com / 35
Hardware & Software
Five.ai
services. What makes them stand out is their open commitment to Level 5 systems, which is the highest grade of driverless technology. CEO and co-founder Stan Boland believes that the U.K. has
Five.ai is a U.K.-based startup founded in 2015.
the potential to become a major player in the
The young company raised $2.7 million in one
race for autonomous cars. His company has since
round of funding in July 2016. Five.ai software
promised to bring out driverless, 6-seater vans in
applies Artificial Intelligence to the automotive
2019, and is looking for a further $35 million from
industry with the goal of bringing about various
investors. Whether or not they can raise sufficient
positives that will enhance our lives. This includes
funding remains to be seen.
saving time and money, improve road safety and deliver transportation to those who have limited access to public services. By using AI, Five.ai avoids the task of extensive road mapping. AI’s predictive nature has clear benefits for travel, giving the autonomous car a better understanding of the possible outcomes of any given situation. Like other companies, Five.ai uses a range of sensors and cameras, as well as Deep Neural Networks. Five.ai claim that they are building the world’s most reliable autonomous vehicle
36 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Lexus SUVs in California and Arizona. Despite the resources available to Google, they are, first and foremost, a software developer. Toyota already turned down a partnership because they wanted to protect their manufacturing expertise. Like
Google has been all over autonomous vehicles
Apple, Waymo’s tactics involve attracting staff
since 2009, teaming up with ex-partner Toyota to
from automakers. At the end of last year, Waymo
test driverless cars in 2012. A Toyota Prius kitted
revealed their self-driving Pacifica minivans
out with Google’s self-drive software was the
built in collaboration with Chrysler, stating
first vehicle of its kind to be given a license in
that they would be road-ready at some point in
the U.S., awarded by the Nevada Department of
2017. According to CEO John Krafcik, they will
Motor Vehicles. In 2015, Google completed their
launch this January, well ahead of the popular
first fully autonomous journey in Texas without a
2020 benchmark. Although there’s a clear push
test driver. The car had no floor pedals or steering
to work on hardware, the company is reportedly
wheels, and although there was one human
shifting their focus to car Operating Systems.
passenger, they weren’t a Google employee and
They’ve also developed their own in-car mobile
were in fact legally blind. As of last year, the
system called Android Auto, which works in
entire research project concerning autonomous
exactly the same way as Apple’s Car Play.
vehicles now exists under the independent company Waymo. Since summer 2016, Waymo has worked with Fiat Chrysler to create a fleet of 100 driverless vehicles. Aside from the new fleet, the two companies have already deployed driverless
disruptionhub.com / 37
Hardware & Software
Hitachi
they unveiled their first autonomous prototype. It was tested and demonstrated at a course in Hokkaido. Simple in design but heavy on tech, the car was fitted with various cameras, radar, GPS and V2V communication devices. It also used
Hitachi is a hugely diverse conglomerate group
two processors. Unlike other companies with a
with no less than 11 business sections, including
focus on electronics, Hitachi stands apart from
Automotive Systems. The department was
the crowd as it already has knowledge of auto-
set up in 1910 and so has a long history in the
parts following an early association with Nissan.
automotive industry. Early in 2013, the Japanese
In 2016, the company worked on improving
firm created a small semi-autonomous vehicles
their technology, introducing more accurate
for short journeys called ROPITS, which stands
vehicle localisation technology to better stabilise
for ‘Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport
the car. At the beginning of last year, they received
System’. The single-seater used GPS and road-
a permit to test Level 2 autonomous models on
mapping to follow given routes, but could only
public roads on the island of Honshu in Japan.
reach speeds of under four miles per hour – think
Hitachi plans to commercialise their autonomous
driverless mobility scooters. Whilst ROPTIS
technology by 2018, setting themselves an overall
might not have wowed commentators, it sent a
sales target of $1.2 trillion for the Automotive
message to competitors that Hitachi was confident
Systems department.
enough to reveal its early autonomous technology. In 2015, Hitachi stated that it wanted to become a premier producer of self-driving systems for mid-size automakers. In November of that year,
38 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Intel
up with a Level 4 – 5 autonomous system by 2019. Not all of Intel’s partners have been impressed with their software, however – they were dropped by comma.ai in favour of Nvidia. None-the-less, Intel, Mobileye and BMW used
As the world’s largest chip maker and a company
their set at CES 2017 to announce that they would
able to deal with extensive data via IoT, Intel has
bring a fleet of self-driving cars to the roads by
both the experience and knowledge to become a
the end of the year. Looking forward to 2021,
game-changer in automotive technology. At the
this will progress to fully self-driving cars for
end of 2016, the company announced that it would
use in cities, as well as the provision of an open
create a new division dedicated to autonomous
platform which can be used by other automobile
driving systems called the Automated Driving
manufacturers or ride sharing companies.
Group (ADG). This is part of a company-wide
Intel’s self-proclaimed aim is to deliver
strategy to shift their focus away from the PC
autonomous technology for ‘a safer world and a
market, which is far less profitable than it once
better life’. Like partners BMW, Intel are part of
was. They have recently stated that they plan
the 5G Automotive Association, which develops
to invest $250 million in their new automotive
communications for connected road safety.
venture over the next two year. In 2016, the tech company teamed up with BMW to develop Level 3 self-driving capabilities. Later that year, Intel was chosen as the processor provider for Delphi and Mobileye’s autonomous project. The three companies are working together to come
disruptionhub.com / 39
Hardware & Software
Microsoft
Office 365 with info-entertainment settings. Even Skype and Cortana, Microsoft’s personal assistant, can be used within some models. At CES 2017, Microsoft unveiled a new set of services called the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform, built on the
Microsoft has readily stated that it will not create
Microsoft Azure cloud. The platform has five core
its own self-driving car, but will instead work
priorities – predictive maintenance, improved in-
with a variety of manufacturers to enhance the
car productivity, advanced navigation, customer
technology behind driverless vehicles using data
insights and helping partners to build autonomous
and machine learning. The company’s strategy
driving capabilities. The company will analyse
is to become the go-to platform for all intelligent
mass data taken from sensors and use it to help
cars, and they are already well on the way to
automakers apply information to their products. At
achieving this. Microsoft recently announced a
the moment, the platform can’t simply be bought
partnership with Swedish automaker Volvo to
– instead, manufacturers need to integrate the
develop autonomous cars together, as well as
technology with their existing systems. Microsoft
use Microsoft’s Mixed Reality headset HoloLens
are setting themselves up as an enhancer for
to offer an interactive shopping experience.
autonomous technology and a collaborative
Since then, a long list of companies have chosen
partner, rather than as a competitor.
Microsoft for their expertise in software and data analysis. In January 2016, Nissan, Harman and IAV joined the likes of Toyota, Ford and Delphi as official Microsoft partners. These automakers are currently integrating Windows 10 and Microsoft
40 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Mitsubishi Electric Mitsubishi Electric is one of the key branches
detect and avoid obstacles. Sensor technology will
of Japanese parent company Mitsubishi. It is an
also be combined with a quasi-zenith satellite
electronics and electrical equipment supplier
system to provide location data in real time. The
with a multinational customer base, and has a
company plans to begin the production of lane-
department dedicated to transportation. As part
keeping and automatic breaking systems later this
of a company-wide project, Mitsubishi Electric
year. Chief Engineer Katsumi Adachi has promised
have already contributed to the creation of an
that self-driving vehicles powered by Mitsubishi
EV called i-MiEV which was launched as early as
Electric will be road-ready by 2020. At some point
2010. The company created the first autonomous
during the 2020 benchmark, Mitsubishi Electric’s
vehicle for space, which is used to send supplies
parent company will release an autonomous car
to the International Space Station. The technology
(the Emirai3 xAuto) that was first showcased
behind the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) includes
in 2015. With an entire division specialising in
data processing, navigational guidance control
automotive technology, Mitsubishi Electric are
and communications technology. Back on Earth,
definitely one to watch.
Mitsubishi Electric supplies air-to-air missiles to the Japanese army. They have used the same military technology (radar, sonar, cameras and sensors) to enable Mitsubishi’s driverless cars to
disruptionhub.com / 41
Hardware & Software
Mobileye
month. The two companies demonstrated an autonomous Audi kitted out with ADAS at CES 2017, and have announced that they will bring a Level 4 self-driving system to market in 2019. Late last year, Mobileye demonstrated an autonomous
Mobileye is a long-standing Israeli tech firm that
Audi that could change lanes, break automatically
develops advanced driver assistance systems
and avoid other road users. The latest automaker
(ADAS). The company is viewed by fellow software
to look to Mobileye is luxury EV manufacturer
developers as tough competition, and it’s not
Lucid Motors. Lucid will receive LiDAR, radar and
hard to see why. Mobileye is the largest supplier
cameras from the tech company, as well as Road
of camera-based ADAS and has been working
Experience Management, learning algorithms and
with BMW and Intel since the summer of 2016 to
localisation services. Despite the lack of a launch
bring out consumer-ready autonomous vehicles by
date, Lucid is already accepting pre-orders for its
2021. Mobileye also teamed up with Tesla Motors
driverless model. Hopefully the deal will be more
to provide EyeQ3 chips to power Tesla’s infamous
successful than the one with Tesla – but even if it
autopilot. However, the software supplier called
isn’t, it doesn’t sound as if Mobileye will be short of
off the partnership last year due to concerns
options.
that Tesla was using Mobileye technology for the wrong applications – which could have potentially contributed to the recent death of a test driver. Without skipping a beat, the company then made links with U.K. automaker Delphi in the following
42 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Nauto
itself. It can detect if the driver is texting or is under the influence of alcohol. Prior to going public in 2015, Nauto had already tested autonomous vehicles in 23 countries across the globe. Now, the company is working with taxi, limo and bus
Nauto based in Palo Alto was founded in 2015 and
fleets in San Francisco to collect important data.
supplies an AI-powered connected camera network
The information will be used to understand driver
and smart cloud system. The company aims to
behaviour and improve safety functions, which is
bring autonomous capabilities to the masses
one of Nauto’s key priorities. The business is one
by adding the necessary software to standard
of a number of startups aiming to roll out retrofit
hardware, meaning that consumers don’t have to
kits, and is on the look-out for 2017 partners. Their
buy new models. Nauto has received investment
dual-facing camera is currently priced at $400, plus
from both BMW and Toyota, closing a $12 million
a subscription fee. Nauto’s future plans involve
Series A funding round in April 2016. Just two
moving away from their retrofit kit, eventually
months later, total funding had reached almost
integrating their software into new vehicles.
$15 million. Nauto claims to be able to make any car a self-driving one using Artificial Intelligence teamed with leading vehicle hardware. Services include a secure API, accessible cloud-based system, Vision Enhanced Risk Assessment and a dual facing camera called Nauto II. The camera analyses driver behaviour and the surrounding environment, as well as monitoring the vehicle
disruptionhub.com / 43
Hardware & Software
NextEv
gives the impression that it is totally focused on electric cars, they have recently received a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California. They’ve invested heavily in building new factories and R&D facilities for autonomous technology,
NextEv is a Chinese electric vehicle startup founded in 2014. Since its launch, NextEv has competed in Formula E racing with its own team. Last year, the company revealed what was claimed to be the fastest electric car in the world at a launch event in London. In 2016, the company opened a brand new office in Silicon Valley. Tasked with leading the U.S. team is ex-Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior, who voiced her belief that NextEv will change transportation as we know it. Warrior isn’t the only big name to join the startup – Jamie Carlson, who is Senior Director of Advanced Technologies, previously worked on driverless projects for both Tesla and Apple. Although no vehicles were showcased at the opening of the U.S. office, it was stated that NextEv’s luxury electric supercar was under development and would be tested on U.K. roads. Whilst the Chinese firm
44 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
as well as entering a manufacturing agreement with Chinese automaker JAC Motors. One of NextEv’s main obstacles seems to be their lack of presence. Going into 2017, NextEv has partnered with popular software suppliers Mobileye, which will undoubtedly help to improve their credibility. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a view to develop Level 4 autonomy by 2019 for NextEv models. The company has kept quiet about the origin of its funding, however the agreement with stateowned JAC Motors and a generally aggressive policy towards autonomous development points to official backing.
nuTonomy nuTonomy was set up in 2013 by two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has received investment from companies including Samsung Ventures. The
test autonomous cars (with hardware by Renault)
startup works with major manufacturers and
in Boston. The city is notorious for its difficult
disruptive startups to ‘reinvent personal mobility’
driving, from cramped, congested streets to harsh
and tackle what they believe to be the biggest
winter conditions. However, for an autonomous
challenge in self-drive technology – urban driving.
car gathering data about the world around it,
NuTonomy began testing their software at the
Boston provides a valuable research environment.
beginning of 2016 using a Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
As well as this, nuTonomy will be much closer
Just nipping Uber’s Pittsburgh fleet in the bud,
to MIT, which is where they originally began
nuTonomy received funding from the Singaporean
their research. According to COO Doug Parker,
government to work on self-driving taxi services
nuTonomy technology relies on ‘formal logic’ to
in Singapore, leading to a commercial business in
guide semi-autonomous and autonomous cars. It
2018. The venture will also expand to include 10
also uses laser sensors, radar and high definition
other global cities by 2020. NuTonomy is currently
cameras, alongside machine learning algorithms
working with Southeast Asia’s answer to Uber,
developed at MIT. The company plans to have fully
Grab. Later that year in November, they began to
driverless vehicles on the market by 2019.
disruptionhub.com / 45
Hardware & Software
NVIDIA
driving behaviours the autonomous vehicle will more effectively integrate with other drivers and be better prepared for anomalies. As well as Audi, the company has worked with Tesla Motors since development began on the Model S. The Model S,
NVIDIA is an American technology company based
Model X and hotly anticipated Model 3 are all kitted
in California. They created the GPU and have
out with NVIDIA supercomputers, and use NVIDIA
been working with German automaker Audi for
tech to power the in-car info-entertainment
ten years. The software developers have created
systems in all three models. On top of this, they
NVIDIA Drive PX, which is an AI platform for
also topped tech giants Intel when George Hotz’s
self-driving cars to help them understand their
startup comma.ai stopped using Intel processors in
surrounding environment. At CES 2017, NVIDIA
favour of NVIDIA’s technology. In short, the MIT-
revealed plans to release a fully autonomous,
spin off has enjoyed real success and is well set up
AI-powered car alongside Audi by 2020. Proving
to continue to do so.
just how serious they are about this, the company demonstrated two autonomous cars at the LAbased event on a variety of road surfaces. The first was a Lincoln MKZ fitted with sensors to enable self-driving, and the second was a completely driverless Audi Q7 installed with Drive PX 2, an updated version of their original AI platform. The car learnt to drive simply by observing other roadusers, not by applying theoretical rules. This might sound sketchy at first, but by mirroring human
46 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Oxbotica
networks in the cloud. Since 2014, the team have been trialling a sensor and camera-equipped Nissan nicknamed ‘RobotCar’. Selenium, the brain behind Oxbotica’s driverless capabilities, uses information gathered by RobotCar plus new
Oxbotica is a UK-based self-driving technology
software to bring autonomy to other models,
company that began at Oxford University. It was
including a Renault TWIZY. At the start of 2016,
founded by Oxford professors in 2014 and is now
Oxbotica teamed up with insurance company
looking to expand its team by hiring software
XL Catlin to explore autonomous robotics and
engineers. The company isn’t just developing
the effect it will have on risk management. At
driverless cars – it’s also working on autonomous
the moment, the company is testing Selenium-
robots and machinery. Currently, they are serving
enabled vehicles in Milton Keynes and London.
forklifts and mining trucks – NASA have even
Oxbotica has revealed that it is working with two
used the university team’s tech in the Mars Rover
automakers, but who they are and what they are
robot. Oxbotica has created Selenium, a robotic
creating together remains a mystery.
brain which can control self-driving cars. It works on two levels – localisation and perception. Oxbotica engineers have built sensors, lasers and sensors, as well as the software to connect them. The system collects data and uses it to improve the car’s performance on the road. Professor Paul Newman has discussed using the data to enrich other cars, robots and machinery via shared neural
disruptionhub.com / 47
Hardware & Software
QNX
entertainment system which includes natural language processing and cellular connectivity. Parent company BlackBerry also showed off in-car IoT applications. QNX’s platform has been used by other companies including Intel, but it’s clear that
QNX Software Systems delivers a commercial real-
the services are primarily targeted at automotive
time operating system used in mobiles and cars.
manufacturers. In November 2016, the Ministry
The software company was acquired by BlackBerry
of Transportation of Ontario certified QNX to test
in 2010. In 2014, Ford replaced its Microsoft Auto
autonomous vehicles on public roads. The following
services with QNX. At CES 2016, QNX demonstrated
month, BlackBerry opened a new R&D centre for
the ADAS, wireless V2X communication and OS
autonomous technology. With two decades of
technology necessary for the development of
experience in supplying software platforms to the
autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. The
automotive sector, QNX’s expansion into ADAS
developers also stated that its platform would
is part of a natural progression in their business
reduce costs and time-to-market for automakers,
strategy. Before CES 2017, the company announced
and revealed two new tech concepts based on a
a new 64-bit automotive Operating System. At
Toyota Highlander and a Jeep Wrangler. The Toyota
the event, QNX showcased the tech inside a sleek
model was demonstrated using a highway scenario
Jaguar concept car.
in which the car recognised, tracked and followed other vehicles on the road. The ADAS used in both cars is powered by an automotive platform from NVIDIA. QNX have also created their own info-
48 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Qualcomm
data for future developments. As well as 5GAA, Qualcomm has joined a collaborative consortium with members ranging from Toyota to GM. In November 2016, the tech suppliers acquired automotive IoT company NXP in a move to crack
Qualcomm is an American semiconductor and
the transportation market. NXP has already
telecommunications company based in California.
debuted autonomous technology and is the largest
The tech firm has over 30 years of experience
supplier of automotive semiconductors – now,
in providing chips and processors, as well as
all of that belongs to Qualcomm. Despite obvious
software services. When it comes to autonomous
steps into the driverless arena, Qualcomm used
vehicles, their key research areas include cellular
CES 2017 to debut a new, powerful processor called
V2X (C-V2X), advanced mapping, Deep Neural
Snapdragon 835 for smartphones, VR and AR
Networks and 5G. According to the company, GPS
devices. If Snapdragon processors will be applied
is too expensive for widespread use and mapping
to the company’s automotive developments, then
provides a better alternative. Qualcomm uses
they aren’t letting on yet.
smartphone-level quality sensors in conjunction with cameras to create real-time localisation. The company’s interest in harnessing 5G for automotive applications led them to form the 5G Automotive Association, which now boasts high profile members like Audi, BMW and Ford. By bringing together all of these cutting-edge technologies, Qualcomm is collecting invaluable
disruptionhub.com / 49
Hardware & Software
Seegrid
in factories and warehouses, turning them into VGVs. Unlike most car manufacturers, Seegrid doesn’t work with lasers or HD cameras. Instead, they use five pairs of low-grade cameras to create
Seegrid was formed in 2003 and creates VGVs
a 360 degree view of the vehicle’s surroundings.
(Vision Guided Vehicles) using patented 3D
This data is then plotted on a 3D grid – hence
evidence grid technology. One of the company’s
the company’s name. Whilst it may not be as
founders is Hans Moravec, faculty member at the
high-tech as lasers, Moravec maintains that this
Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.
technique will be the most cost effective, and
Aligning with Moravec’s interest in robotics and
when teamed with powerful algorithms, more
AI, the original aim of the business was to create
capable. Seegrid’s VGVs have reportedly stacked
a fully autonomous robot. In a thesis written
up around 500,000 miles, and the company plans
at Stanford University in the 1970s, Moravec
to have an advanced self-driving prototype ready
discussed the development of an autonomous
this year.
vehicle. Seegrid was ultimately set up to bring these pioneering ideas to market once computing power had caught up with them. The company has since worked with major automakers like GM, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Toyota… The list doesn’t end there. As of March 2016, Seegrid began offering driverless technology for forklifts
50 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Uber Uber was founded in 2009 has had unprecedented
Ford Fusions. The models were kitted out with
success across the world, becoming synonymous
20 cameras, seven lasers, LiDAR, radar and GPS.
with taxi services. At first, Uber concentrated
In October 2016, Uber began testing autonomous
on ride sharing and car hailing, connecting
cars in San Francisco. Last month, the company
customers in need of a ride with Uber drivers via
sent 16 licensed, autonomous Volvo SUVs on
a smartphone app. By the summer of 2016, Uber’s
excursions around the city. Uber may stand out as
services were available in 545 cities worldwide.
a huge success story, but it hasn’t all been plain
In the last few years, Uber has pursued an
sailing for the transportation giant. The California
aggressive business strategy. The company now
Department of Motor Vehicles later retracted the
offers services ranging from on-demand meal
licenses for the SUVs after they demonstrated
provision (Uber Eats) to parcel delivery (Uber
bad driving practises like running red lights and
Offers). Naturally, the business has taken a keen
ignoring cycle lanes. Uber is now at loggerheads
interest in autonomous cars. In 2015, Uber and
with the organisation and has refused to comply.
Carnegie Mellon University teamed up to create the Uber Advanced Technologies Centre. Based in Pittsburgh the aim of the facility was to develop a fleet of self-driving cars. By September, Uber had released their own fleet of 14 self-driving
disruptionhub.com / 51
Hardware & Software
Udacity
The third term of the nanodegree culminates in the opportunity to test out their new skills and programme an autonomous car. The site’s president, Sebastian Thrun, previously launched Google’s self-driving car programme. In light
Udacity is an online learning environment set up
of Boston Global Consulting estimates that
in 2014 which offers a range of ‘nanodegrees’ and
autonomous driving will create 100,000 jobs by
free courses. Options include ‘VR Developer’ , ‘AI’ ,
2025, Thrun is confident that graduates won’t
‘Android Basics’ and ‘Self-Driving Car Engineer’.
exactly struggle to find work. The courses offered
First of all, a nanodegree is a streamlined
by Udacity aim to capitalise on the demand for
educational course that qualifies graduates for
changing, as well as highlighting the key role that
entry-level jobs. It might sound a little odd, but
self-driving vehicles will play in the job markets of
Udacity has proved its credibility by establishing
today and tomorrow. Aside from offering MOOCs
links with respected companies including NVIDIA,
(Massive Open Online Courses), Udacity is also
Mercedes Benz and BMW. The programme involves
calling for developers to help them build their own
three terms of 12 weeks, costing an overall sum
open-source autonomous car.
of $2,400. Udacity even offers scholarships for successful applicants, and claims that ‘almost anyone’ can become a Self-Driving Car Engineer. Candidates need to be well-versed in coding, with a good knowledge of algebra and statistics – so perhaps ‘almost anyone’ is an overstatement.
52 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
Valeo
through three phases – initial driver control, semiautonomous control and finally the re-instalment of the driver as the key actor. The company also revealed new developments including eCruise4U, which enables autonomous driving for electric
Valeo is a French multinational auto supplier
vehicles, a new emergency breaking system and
with a wealth of experience in the automotive
XtraVue, a set of connected cameras which shows
industry. To keep up with emerging trends, Valeo
the driver what is happening outside of their field
have created a semi-autonomous system called
of vision. The company believes that EVs and
Cruise4U. It tested using VW models, and provides
autonomous technology are two fundamental
automated acceleration and breaking, automated
aspects of future mobility.
lane centering and lane change. The company has been working on connected vehicles across 19 research centres and 35 development centres worldwide. At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Valeo presented Cruise4U as a real-world solution for common road situations, including congested traffic. In September 2016, a Valeo Cruise4U car successfully logged 475 miles of autonomous journeys on the Paris beltway. At CES 2017, Valeo showcased the Valeo eCruise4U, which is the first electric car that can drive autonomously in urban areas. At the moment, the car transitions
disruptionhub.com / 53
Hardware & Software
Wheego
they already have an R&D facility dedicated to autonomous technologies which is conveniently based in California. Although the company started out as a designer and manufacturer of EVs, it views
Wheego Technologies was founded in 2008 and originally operated under the name of Wheego Electric Cars. Their first electric car was released just one year later. As an EV automaker, they sold hundreds of electric cars to U.S. dealerships. In 2014, the company shifted its focus to selfdriving, and later changed its name to Wheego Technologies to reflect this expanding business strategy. Key research areas include AI, machine learning and a range of IoT connectivity. Their ultimate goal is to offer a suite of autonomous driving features for mass consumer use. In November 2016, Wheego was awarded an AVT from the California Department for Motor Vehicles, allowing them to experiment with driverless tech on Californian roads. Despite having been viewed as a new-comer to the self-driving scene,
54 / Autonomous Vehicle 50...The race to 2020
electric cars as hugely important to driverless technology and will develop both in tandem. Wheego is currently selling their advanced tech to clients in China, which presents a more favourable market for investing in external software. The company uses sensors and deep learning algorithms to power its autonomous vehicles, but is yet to showcase a functioning prototype. Either way, Wheego isn’t short of ambition and is looking to provide autonomous, electric transport to a global market.
Zoox
joined the relatively exclusive list of companies to be awarded an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit to test cars in California. Unlike other companies, they are building their cars from scratch and have purposefully skipped the creation
Zoox, founded in 2014 is robotics company that
of Level 3 systems, stating that they are totally
delivers driverless mobility as a service. Co-
focused on a fully driverless model. Matching
founded by ex-Google engineer Jesse Levinson,
competitors, Zoox expects to have brought Level
they are definitely one to watch. The startup has
4 self-driving taxis to consumers by 2020. If the
already received almost $300 million in equity
startup can successfully create both the software
funding, and closed a $50 million Series A funding
and hardware necessary for an autonomous fleet,
round in October 2016. As of November, Zoox was
they will be the only company to date not to rely on
valued at $1.5 billion, which is nothing short of
external partners.
impressive after just two years in business. The unicorn company is now in the process of creating a fully autonomous fleet for a wide consumer base, which will work in a similar way to Uber using on-demand ride hailing via an app. Zoox’s first model is code-named L4, and has no windshield, break pedals or steering wheel. The company (and whatever it is they’re actually working on) has largely existed in stealth mode, quietly developing fully autonomous capabilities. In March 2016, Zoox
disruptionhub.com / 55
When will the disruption occur? Like anything disruptive in this century the killer element of the disruption is not the hype curve (ie pre delivery) but the adoption curve. I’m sorry if I cause offence to the legion of autonomous car proponents but this is going to be a shallow adoption curve. Here’s why.
Firstly, there are no second hand autonomous
money to buy such vehicles and will probably
vehicles on the road yet which means it will
expect share vehicles - good for Uber but that
probably be another 3-5 years before that
means less vehicles sold overall.
happens and with the average new price of a car at £28,973 it’s the second largest family
The much steeper adoption curve will come
purchase after a home.
in the commercial vehicles sector where the economic benefits are faster and more tangible
Secondly there is the trust element, it’s going
- with the availability of retro fit kits for trucks
to take time for consumers to trust self drive
through startup Otto (recently bought by Uber,
vehicles and it’s only going to take a couple of
of course, for $700m) will truly disrupt.
instances of Daily Mail hysteria for the trust adoption curve to flatten. At some points there
John Straw founder of D/SRUPTION is a Senior
is going to be a headline like “New autonomous
Advisor to Mckinsey & Company and IBM
car kills family of 5 on the way to Disneyland” -
Watson IoT, and a self confessed petrol head.
not conducive to to mass market trust.
Views expressed are his own.
The new millennials, being immersed in technology, are much more likely to be more trusting - but with the economics of AI throwing more people out of work few will have the