Ficosa, a renowned global provider of advanced automotive solutions, and indie Semiconductor, an innovative leader in Autotech solutions, are pleased to announce a collaborative effort to develop and market automotive camera solutions utilizing neural network-based artificial intelligence processing. This partnership aims to significantly enhance imaging and in-camera object detection performance, especially for challenging edge sensing applications.
The collaboration will leverage Ficosa’s extensive experience as a high-volume vision solution supplier and indie’s proven, proprietary vision processing technology. The companies are planning to introduce the first smart camera solutions incorporating their combined technologies in 2024, with the objective of scaling up production by 2025.
This groundbreaking initiative comes at a time when government regulators and car safety assessment programs are placing increased emphasis on the protection of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in back-up and eMirror scenarios. For example, Euro NCAP has implemented safety test protocols for vulnerable road users since 2020, and the United States’ National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed updates to NCAP to provide consumers with information about the crashworthiness and pedestrian protection of new vehicles.
Consequently, there is a growing demand for camera-based Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) solutions that not only provide passive viewing capability, but also offer intelligent sensing to actively detect pedestrians. According to S&P Global, shipments of surround view and park assist camera electronic control units (ECUs) are projected to grow from 134 million units in 2023 to 240 million units by 2033.
Josep Maria Forcadell, Chief Technology Officer of Ficosa, expressed the company’s dedication to developing robust camera solutions with the highest image quality and volume scalability, and conveyed excitement for the collaboration, stating: “As a leading supplier of cameras to the world’s largest vehicle OEMs, Ficosa brings deep expertise and industrialization capabilities to this exciting collaboration with indie to develop the next generation of smart cameras deploying NN-based detection and improve safety levels for both vehicle occupants and other road users.”
Abhay Rai, Executive Vice President and General Manager of indie’s Vision Business Unit, also conveyed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: “indie is thrilled to partner with Ficosa, leveraging our next generation of Computer Vision solutions that integrate not only high-performance image signal processing but also the dedicated AI elements required for neural networks.”
Ficosa, established in 1949 and headquartered in Barcelona, is well-known for its Rear View System, which is trusted by the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers (OEM). Concurrently, indie is driving the Autotech revolution with its next-generation automotive semiconductors and software platforms, with a focus on developing innovative, high-performance, and energy-efficient technology for ADAS, user experience, and electrification applications.
Together, Ficosa and indie are strategically positioned to capitalize on the rapid expansion of smart camera solutions in the automotive industry. Through their combined expertise, they aim to enhance safety, efficiency, and technological innovation in the field of automotive vision solutions.
The collaboration between Ficosa and indie Semiconductor represents a significant advancement in the development of AI-based automotive camera solutions and reinforces the commitment of the industry to utilize cutting-edge technology to address critical safety challenges and enhance the overall experience for all road users.
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