eNeural Technologies – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Did you know that approximately 33 percent of new vehicles sold in the United States, Europe, Japan, and China in 2021 were equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)? Canalys predicted that by 2030, fifty percent of all automobiles on the road would be ADAS-enabled. The implementation of ADAS has shown a significant improvement in automotive safety by reducing accidents and injuries.

eNeural Technologies, Inc. is an innovative startup company focused on developing advanced embedded AI software, hardware silicon IP, and related services for applications in autonomous vehicles, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), mobile robotics, and the AIoT (AI Internet of Things) space. The company was spun out from the Intelligent Vision System Lab (iVSLab) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and established on March 29, 2022, under the guidance of Professor Jiun-In Guo.

ADAS systems utilize sensor fusion technology combining image recognition software, computer vision, machine learning, ultrasound sensors, lidar technology, and radar for faster analysis and decision-making. One of the most common ADAS applications is Adaptive Cruise Control, which automatically adjusts vehicle speed based on surrounding traffic. Other features include Glare-Free High Beam and Pixel Light systems that adjust headlights according to darkness and surrounding conditions, avoiding blinding other drivers, as well as Adaptive Light Control that modifies headlights based on external lighting conditions to enhance visibility.

Key Takeaways

• 33% of new vehicles sold in the US, Europe, Japan, and China in 2021 had ADAS systems.
• ADAS is predicted to be present in 50% of all vehicles on the road by 2030.
• eNeural Technologies develops AI software, hardware, and services for ADAS and autonomous vehicles.
• ADAS uses sensor fusion, computer vision, and machine learning for object detection and collision avoidance.
• Common ADAS features include Adaptive Cruise Control, Glare-Free High Beam, and Adaptive Light Control.

What is eNeural Technologies?

eNeural Technologies is an innovative startup originating from the Institute of Electronics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. With a focus on cutting-edge embedded AI technologies, the company has established itself as a leader in autonomous vehicles, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), mobile robotics, and the AIoT ecosystem.

Innovative Startup from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Founded by experts from the renowned Intelligent Vision System Lab (iVSLab) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, eNeural Technologies leverages over a decade of research experience in visual computing and proprietary AI self-learning methodologies. This academic heritage forms the foundation for the company’s innovative solutions.

Core Focus on Embedded AI Software and Hardware Silicon IP Design

At the core of eNeural Technologies’ offerings lies their expertise in designing and developing embedded AI software, hardware silicon IP, and related services. By combining cutting-edge AI technologies with optimized hardware implementations, the company delivers high-performance, low-power solutions tailored for diverse applications.

Expertise in Autonomous Vehicles, ADAS, Mobile Robotics, and AIoT

eNeural Technologies’ portfolio spans multiple domains, including smart automotive, intelligent manufacturing, mobile robotics, and the AIoT ecosystem. Their Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) leverage computer vision, machine learning, and sensor fusion technologies to enhance driving safety and convenience. Additionally, the company’s solutions are instrumental in enabling autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics applications, and the seamless integration of AI into Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

With their cutting-edge embedded AI solutions, eNeural Technologies is well-positioned to drive innovation across various industries, including the rapidly evolving ADAS and autonomous vehicle market.

Advancements in Automotive Safety with ADAS

Automotive safety has undergone a transformative shift with the advent of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Traditionally, passive safety measures such as shatter-resistant glass, three-point seatbelts, and airbags aimed to minimize injuries during accidents. However, ADAS represents a paradigm shift towards active safety improvements, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like embedded vision and sensor fusion to proactively reduce the occurrence of accidents and enhance occupant safety.

From Passive Safety Measures to Active Safety Improvements

ADAS systems harness the power of computer vision and machine learning to actively monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and provide real-time assistance to drivers. By integrating advanced sensors, cameras, and intelligent algorithms, these systems can detect potential hazards, issue warnings, and even take corrective actions to mitigate risks and prevent collisions.

Sensor Fusion and Real-Time Object Recognition

At the core of ADAS technology lies sensor fusion, which combines data from multiple sources, including cameras, ultrasound sensors, lidar, and radar. This fusion of data allows ADAS systems to process information in a manner similar to how the human brain functions, enabling faster physical responses compared to human drivers alone. By analyzing streaming video and data in real-time, ADAS can recognize objects, assess potential hazards, and determine the appropriate course of action to enhance safety on the road.

ADAS systems leverage this advanced real-time object recognition capability to provide a range of safety-enhancing features, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, automatic emergency braking, and collision avoidance systems, among others. By continuously monitoring the vehicle’s surroundings and responding faster than human reflexes, ADAS offers a critical layer of protection for drivers and occupants.

Common ADAS Applications

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have revolutionized the automotive industry by introducing a range of applications that enhance driving safety and convenience. These cutting-edge technologies leverage sensors, cameras, and intelligent software to assist drivers, ultimately reducing the risk of accidents caused by human error.

Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive cruise control systems utilize sensors and radar to automatically adjust a vehicle’s speed, maintaining a safe distance from other cars on the highway. This intelligent feature helps reduce the number of accidents caused by driver inattention, offering peace of mind during long journeys.

Glare-Free High Beam and Pixel Light

Glare-free high beam and pixel light technology employ sensors to adapt headlight brightness and direction, preventing other drivers from being temporarily blinded by bright lights at night. This innovative system minimizes the risk of collisions caused by impaired visibility.

Adaptive Light Control

Adaptive light control systems adjust headlight intensity and orientation based on external lighting conditions and the vehicle’s surroundings. By enhancing visibility, these systems improve safety for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Automatic Parking

Automatic parking systems leverage sensors and cameras to assist drivers in maneuvering into tight parking spots or even park the vehicle autonomously. This feature improves parking accuracy and reduces the likelihood of collisions in confined spaces.

Autonomous Valet Parking

Taking the concept of automatic parking a step further, autonomous valet parking allows vehicles to navigate and park themselves in designated areas using sensor data, 5G communication, and cloud services, without the need for driver assistance.

Navigation Systems

Advanced navigation systems integrate real-time traffic data, providing route guidance and heads-up displays to minimize driver distraction. By helping drivers avoid congestion, these systems contribute to safer and more efficient travel.

eNeural Technologies – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

eNeural Technologies is a pioneering force in the development of cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that harness advanced technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, and sensor fusion. With a deep understanding of autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, and the AIoT ecosystem, eNeural Technologies is poised to revolutionize the automotive industry with intelligent solutions that enhance driving safety, convenience, and efficiency.

Driven by a strong focus on embedded AI software and hardware silicon IP design, eNeural Technologies is well-equipped to deliver innovative ADAS solutions that seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art technologies. By leveraging object detection capabilities, collision avoidance systems, lane departure warning mechanisms, and adaptive cruise control features, eNeural Technologies empowers drivers with a comprehensive suite of advanced safety and assistance features.

At the core of eNeural Technologies’ approach lies a deep commitment to harnessing the power of Lidar technology for unparalleled accuracy and reliability. By fusing data from multiple sensors, including cameras, radars, and LiDARs, eNeural Technologies’ ADAS solutions can perceive and analyze the surrounding environment with unprecedented precision, enabling real-time decision-making and proactive safety measures.

eNeural Technologies’ expertise in autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, and the AIoT ecosystem positions them as a leader in developing intelligent solutions for the automotive industry.

As the adoption of ADAS systems is projected to increase by 25% annually in the automotive industry, and the global market for ADAS systems is estimated to reach a staggering $67 billion by 2025, eNeural Technologies stands at the forefront of this transformative revolution. With their cutting-edge solutions that leverage the power of neural networks, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and advanced machine learning techniques, eNeural Technologies is poised to shape the future of intelligent transportation systems.

Renesas: Enabling ADAS and Autonomous Driving

Renesas, a prominent semiconductor supplier to the automotive market, has established itself as a leading provider of cutting-edge chip solutions for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving (AD) applications. With nearly one billion SoCs and MCUs supplied in 2015 alone, Renesas has a proven track record in the industry.

At the forefront of Renesas’ offerings are high-compute chips designed specifically for ADAS and AD applications. These chips prioritize functional safety and low power consumption, critical requirements for in-vehicle deployment. Renesas has been implementing ISO 26262 certification for safety functions in its P series MCUs since 2008, enhancing functional safety in ADAS and AD applications.

Functional Safety and Low Power Consumption

Renesas’ commitment to functional safety and low power consumption is exemplified in its highly scalable lineup of high compute chips. This approach aids in reducing development costs and accelerating time-to-market for customers.

Scalable Lineup for Platform Solutions

The Renesas autonomy platform offers a broad spectrum of solutions, ranging from flexible, programmable cores to highly optimized hardware accelerators. This versatile platform delivers high performance at the lowest power consumption, catering to a wide range of applications.

Furthermore, the R-Car SoCs and RH850 MCUs roadmaps provided by Renesas offer scalability for building entry-level to high-end products. This scalability ensures cost-competitive solutions and reusability of developed algorithms and applications, ultimately benefiting customers.

High-Compute Chips for ADAS and AD

ADAS and AD applications require the integration of multiple sensors, such as cameras, radars, LiDARs, and ultrasonic sensors. To meet this demand, Renesas focuses on delivering high-performance system-on-chips (SoCs) capable of analyzing a vehicle’s surroundings and performing cognitive computing processing.

Renesas’ commitment to ADAS and AD is showcased through the Renesas autonomy solution platform, which is open, innovative, and trusted, allowing customers to help shape the future of driving. Additionally, Renesas offers starter and solution kits that enable developers to begin working on ADAS and AD immediately, featuring successful R-Car system-on-chip and RH850 microcontrollers such as the R-Car H3e-2G & H3 & M3 Starter Kit, R-Car V3M Starter Kit, and RazorMotion.

From ADAS to Autonomous Driving

As we navigate the roads towards a future of fully autonomous driving, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are paving the way by enhancing driving safety and comfort. These innovative technologies aim to assist drivers, addressing safety concerns for themselves, other vehicles, and pedestrians, while also improving the overall driving experience and reducing environmental impact.

Assisted Driving: Enhancing Safety and Comfort

ADAS systems have significantly reduced accident occurrence and occupant injuries through embedded vision technology. Sensor fusion in vehicles combines image recognition software, ultrasound sensors, lidar, and radar for faster data processing than human drivers. Features like Adaptive Cruise Control enhance highway safety by automatically adjusting vehicle speed based on surrounding objects, while Glare-Free High Beam and Pixel Light technology adjusts headlight brightness to prevent blinding other drivers on the road.

Adaptive Light Control dynamically changes the intensity and direction of headlights based on external lighting conditions, and Automatic Parking systems enable better visibility during parking maneuvers by utilizing rearview cameras and multiple sensors. Additionally, Navigation Systems offer on-screen instructions and voice prompts for route guidance, with some systems capable of displaying real-time traffic data and suggesting alternative routes to avoid congestion.

Automated Driving: The Ultimate Goal

As ADAS technologies continue to evolve and gain widespread adoption, they will lay the foundation for the eventual realization of fully automated driving, which has been a long-standing dream in the automotive industry since the 1960s. The next step in this journey is Autonomous Valet Parking technology, which utilizes vehicle sensor meshing, 5G network communication, and cloud services for safe autonomous parking.

Renesas autonomy™: An Open, Innovative, and Trusted Platform

Renesas Electronics Corporation has unveiled Renesas autonomy™, an open platform designed specifically for assisted and automated driving applications. This innovative platform offers customers the flexibility to develop their own applications or leverage solutions provided by Renesas and its ecosystem partners, enabling faster time to market.

Innovative Cores and Hardware Accelerators

At the heart of Renesas autonomy lies a range of innovative cores, from flexible, programmable cores to highly optimized hardware accelerators tailored for object detection, classification, and deep neural network algorithms. These advanced cores deliver high performance at low power consumption, enabling efficient and intelligent processing for autonomous driving systems.

Trusted Automotive Quality and Scalability

Renesas autonomy prioritizes trusted automotive quality and scalability, building upon Renesas’ extensive experience in the automotive market. The platform implements safety functions and complies with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard. Renesas’ proven track record, having supplied nearly one billion SoCs and MCUs in 2015 while adhering to the highest quality standards, underpins the platform’s reliability.

Open Ecosystem for Accelerated Time to Market

One of the key strengths of Renesas autonomy is its open ecosystem, which fosters collaboration with ecosystem partners. This open approach empowers customers to leverage a wide range of solutions, accelerating their time to market for innovative automotive applications.

Starter and Solution Kits for ADAS and AD Development

Renesas, the leading semiconductor-based solutions provider for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving, offers a comprehensive range of starter and solution kits to facilitate the development of these cutting-edge technologies. These kits are designed to empower developers and accelerate the adoption of ADAS and AD solutions, enabling them to shape the future of driving experiences.

At the heart of these development platforms are Renesas’ acclaimed R-Car SoCs (system-on-chips) and RH850 microcontrollers, which provide scalability from entry-level to high-end products. This scalability ensures cost-competitive solutions and reusability of developed algorithms and functional blocks, streamlining the development process and reducing time-to-market.

Among the starter kits offered by Renesas are the highly sought-after R-Car H3e-2G & H3 & M3 Starter Kit and the R-Car V3M Starter Kit. Additionally, the solution kit RazorMotion empowers developers to initiate ADAS development and AD development projects promptly, enabling them to rapidly prototype and evaluate their designs.

Renesas aims to deliver high compute chips focused on functional safety and low power consumption, essential for in-vehicle deployment, supporting customers with scalable solutions to drive down development costs and accelerate time to market.

By providing these comprehensive evaluation platforms, Renesas reinforces its position as the top MCU and SoC supplier in the automotive segment, with a strong focus on assisted and automated driving technologies. In 2015 alone, nearly one billion SoCs and MCUs were supplied by Renesas to the automotive market, highlighting the company’s commitment to providing high-quality semiconductor solutions.

With these comprehensive starter and solution kits, Renesas empowers developers to rapidly explore and innovate in the realm of ADAS and AD, leveraging the company’s cutting-edge semiconductor solutions and expertise in assisted and automated driving technologies.

Conclusion

The automotive industry is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by the rapid advancement of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle technologies. At the forefront of this revolution are companies like eNeural Technologies and Renesas, leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, sensor fusion, and Lidar to enhance driving safety, convenience, and efficiency.

eNeural Technologies, an innovative startup originating from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, has emerged as a leader in the smart automotive and AIoT domains. With its expertise in embedded AI software and hardware silicon IP design, eNeural Technologies is poised to deliver groundbreaking ADAS solutions that leverage advanced technologies like collision avoidance, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.

Renesas, a renowned semiconductor supplier, offers the Renesas autonomy™ platform, an open, innovative, and trusted solution for ADAS and autonomous driving applications. This comprehensive platform provides customers with flexible development options, innovative core architectures, and hardware accelerators, backed by Renesas’ commitment to functional safety, low power consumption, and trusted automotive quality.