Ambarella
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Kodiak Robotics Selects Ambarella AI Domain Controller SoC For Next-Generation Autonomous Trucks
Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA), an edge AI semiconductor company, and Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a leading autonomous vehicle company focused on trucking and defense, announced that Kodiak selected Ambarellaās CV3-AD685 AI domain control system-on-chip (SoC) as a complete embedded compute solution for its next-generation autonomous vehicles. This SoC provides a complete embedded solution for Kodiakās multi-sensor perception, fusion and path planningārunning neural networks while processing multiple cameras, lidars and radars.
Building on the success of the companiesā current partnership, Kodiak has already logged over 300,000 miles on Ambarellaās CV2 AI perception SoC while delivering over 875 loads, demonstrating that Kodiak Driver with help from the Ambarella hardware can withstand the rigorous environment of highway trucking. The CV2 has enabled premium image quality through rain, fog and darknessāensuring that Kodiak delivers freight for its customers safely and on time.
Kodiakās next-generation self-driving truck platform will utilize the CV3-AD685 SoC to optimize hardware cost, reliability, size and robustness, while improving safety and performance. Designed with Ambarellaās āalgorithm firstā philosophy, this 5nm SoC is purpose-built to provide a high-performance compute solution in the smallest form factor, which enables Kodiakās modular autonomous vehicle platform hardware across a wide variety of environmental conditions.
šØš³ Ambarella CEO: āChinese OEMs Are Copying the Tesla Modelā
Ambarella CEO Fermi Wang clarified to EE Times that revenue for Ambarellaās most recent CV3 automotive SoC family will come first, but not only, from China. āThe reason is that Chinese OEMs and tier ones will take only 18-24 months to introduce a product versus 48 months anywhere else,ā Wang told EE Times. āAt IAA, German OEMs were shocked by how fast Chinese vendors have been able to [develop and] show EVs.ā Chinese automotive OEMs move a lot faster than their European and American counterparts, according to Wang.
āFrom the development cycle point of view, Chinese companies are focused on getting things out quicker instead of the European approach to make sure everything is there, quality-wise, before itās shipped, [though] we havenāt seen a quality issue so far,ā he said. āThe Chinese are copying the Tesla model [upgrading software over the air] rather than the German model.ā
Continental and Ambarella Partner On Assisted and Automated Driving Systems With Full Software Stack
At CES 2023, technology company Continental and Ambarella, Inc., an edge AI semiconductor company, announced a strategic partnership. The two companies will jointly develop scalable, end-to-end hardware and software solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI), for assisted and automated driving (AD), on the way to autonomous mobility. The strategic collaboration builds on Continentalās announcement in November to integrate Ambarellaās energy-efficient System-on-Chip (SoC) family into its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Compared to other domain controller SoCs, Ambarellaās āCV3-ADā chip family provides higher performance to process sensor data faster and more comprehensively for greater environmental perception and safer mobility, at up to five times higher power efficiency. The partners are combining Continentalās software and hardware expertise and broad portfolio of automotive system solutions with Ambarellaās computer vision know-how, powerful SoCs and software modules. In addition to the development of camera-based perception solutions for ADAS, Continental and Ambarella are focusing on scalable full-stack systems for Level 2+ up to highly automated vehicles. These full-stack solutions take a multi-sensor approach, including Continentalās high-resolution cameras, radars and lidars, as well as the associated control units and the required software. Vehicle manufacturers will be able to flexibly integrate the joint system solutions into their latest vehicle generations. In electric vehicles, the energy-efficient solutions reduce power consumption and cooling demands, contributing to a lower battery weight of several kilograms (estimated 6 pounds). This results in an increased average range of about 5-10 kilometers (3-6 miles) with the same battery capacity, based on a typical configuration. To serve the growing market for assisted and automated driving, while paving the way for autonomous mobility, the partners aim to have these joint solutions ready for global series production in 2026.