Today, Samsung has announced its new DRVLINE autonomous car platform which aims to be an open, modular, and scalable platform allowing car manufacturers to build "the cars of tomorrow." The move will allow manufacturers to collaborate on the software but still leave room for customizability, giving cars the ability to be equipped with technology running a more future-proofed platform.
With the DRVLINE platform, car makers can also swap hardware in and out of vehicles; with this ability, cars are more future-proofed as technology develops towards Level 5 automation. The platform leverages Samsung"s expertise in electronics, IoT, and embedded systems, including "in-car compute for Levels 3, 4, and 5 automation."
With Samsung"s purchase of Harman, the two entities have developed a new ADAS forward-facing camera system which is built to meet upcoming New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) standards. The system will be able to give lane departure warning, forward collision warnings, detect pedestrians, and have support for automatic emergency braking. This technology is incorporated into the DRVLINE platform.
Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Samsung Electronics, and Chairman of the Board at Harman, said:
“The cars of tomorrow won’t just change how we get around, they’ll transform our streets and society. They’ll bring mobility to people who need it, make our roads safer and revolutionize our communities. Building an autonomous platform requires close collaboration across industry, as one company cannot deliver on this enormous opportunity alone. The challenge is simple too big and too complex. Through the DRVLINE platform we’re inviting the best and brightest from the automotive industry to join us, and help shape the future of the car of tomorrow.”
Samsung has been building up to this stage since last year when it splashed out $8 billion on Harman, a connected automotive manufacturer. After that acquisition, Samsung created a joint automotive Strategic Business Unit and created a $300 million Samsung Automotive Innovation Fund. The Korean firm also expanded these foundations through “a series of investments and partnerships designed to promote collaboration in the automotive sector.”
Despite Samsung’s intentions to pull others into its DRVLINE platform, fragmentation will likely continue to exist in the future; Tesla is probably intent on keeping its home grown software, and Apple is said to be working on its own software platform.
Source: Samsung
Neowin is at CES to bring you all the coverage from the show floor, click here for other articles.