Are Sensor Companies Set To Make An Outsized Difference In The Autonomous Vehicle Industry?

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) equipped with the newest innovations may be fueling the future of mobility.

Autonomous driving normally refers to self-driving vehicles that move without the intervention of a human driver. The levels for autonomous driving range from Level 0 (no automation) up to Level 5 (full vehicle autonomy).

While companies like  Tesla Inc. TSLA offer assisted-driving features, several startups, including Waymo, Cruise, Aurora and TuSimple, are said to be developing technologies they claim could make driving itself a thing of the past.  

Technology startup Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. GOOGL, General Motors Co. GM and Chinese technology company Baidu Inc. BIDU are some of the biggest players in the AV industry, but smaller technology and sensor companies are also seemingly playing bigger parts in the industry too.
Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. FRSX FRSX, founded in 2015, is one example of a technology company engaged in the design, development and commercialization of sensor systems for the automotive industry. The company develops smart multispectral 3D vision software solutions that can be applied to diverse markets.

Foresight uses stereo camera technology that is intended to serve as the eyes of semi- and full-autonomous vehicles. Its vision sensor, the company states, is a four-camera system, based on 3D video analysis and advanced algorithms for image processing.

A Technology That Trumps LIDAR For AVs In Defense?

Autonomous vehicles are generally known to use advanced sensors known as LIDAR (light detection and ranging) — a light-sensing technology that creates a 3D map of a vehicle's surroundings using a laser and receiver.

Foresight states that its solution is differentiated through the use of a passive, non-emitting technology for its sensors that remain undetectable — unlike LIDAR systems — and makes it highly sought after in the defense industry, according to the company.

The company’s proprietary camera-based sensor technology, which goes by the name QuadSightⓇ, accords multispectral vision for autonomous vehicles which has exceptionally accurate obstacle-detection capabilities in harsh lighting and weather conditions, including complete darkness, rain, haze, fog and glare.
 

This may address the AV industry’s two main challenges: the ability to detect any obstacle on the road and the ability to safely operate in even extreme weather and lighting conditions and equip AVs with all the necessary senses to be able to perceive their environment digitally.
 

Foresight received its first commercial orders for product development and customization in 2020 from Elbit Systems Ltd., a leading Israeli defense integrator. The orders relate to the supply of Foresight’s QuadSight prototypes with wide-angle field-of-view detection capabilities In February of this year, Foresight announced it was chosen to replace Elbit’s lidar solution with QuadSight. The announcement meant Foresight will test its technology and customize its solution to meet Elbit’s requirements.  
 

QuadSight’s passive, non-emitting solution for Elbit creates a high-resolution-point cloud that provides a unique 3D perception of the environment using both visible-light and thermal cameras without leaving an energy signature discernible to an adversary — making it ideal for its defense-related projects.
 
It also empowers autonomous features such as obstacle detection, terrain analysis and navigation plans in the most challenging conditions, including off-road driving and zero-visibility sandstorms. 

These capabilities allow the decision-making system of the autonomous vehicle to make more accurate real-time decisions, according to Foresight.
 

Foresight states that its sales cycle comprises four stages: prototype sales, proof of concepts and co-developments, design wins and mass production. 
 

So far, it has delivered 14 prototype systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and entered into paid proof of concepts (POCs) with a leading European OEM and a leading Chinese passenger car manufacturer.
 

The Elbit deal helped Foresight move the needle further ahead in its sales cycle, moving its focus forward to design and mass manufacturing. The main markets for Foresight’s technology are passenger cars, commercial vehicles, defense and agriculture equipment.

Elbit recently showcased its new UGV with QuadSight integrated technology at a security and defense exposition in Paris, France. For QuadSight to be utilized in an unmanned robotic combat vehicle serves as a powerful use case of Foresight’s technology with an end-customer, and a validator to the company’s co-development work with Elbit. This allows Foresight to prove their ability in addressing the needs of  other market segments, such as heavy-equipment vehicles, trucks and passenger cars, and could make its QuadSight system a key building block that will enable levels 3 (conditional automation), 4 (high automation) and 5 (full automation) of vehicle autonomy across multiple industries and applications.
 

To learn more about Foresight and its QuadSight technology, click here.
 

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Featured photo from Foresight Autonomous