This is an interview about SCALA 3 with Clement Nouvel of Valeo from July. I don't recall if it has been posted before, but it's worth a reread, but some extracts follow:
https://www.yolegroup.com/player-in...-ahead-an-interview-with-valeo-lidar-systems/
Compared to the previous generation, the Valeo SCALATM 3 optical head delivers an outstanding 50x points per second (more than any other player in the industry) and adds a 4th sensing dimension (passive image) synchronized in time and space* with the point cloud. This dual, very high-density output allows us to speak about LiDAR “images” and use Artificial Intelligence algorithms that were so far used for cameras, bringing LiDAR perception to an entirely new level, including low-level fusion.
Our software capabilities* allow us to provide an extensive suite of modules and LiDAR functions, from point cloud classification, object tracking, blockage detection, rain & spray detection, online calibration and misalignment detection, guaranteeing unparalleled availability, safety, and reliability.
...
Valeo reinvented the classical approach with the lessons learned from the past generations and the increased technological progress of the suppliers (Let’s not forget about ecosystem development, the only viable way to success!)**,
The interviewer asked about Valeo making their own chip, but CN pointed out the state of flux of the tech
. In addition, the LiDAR offering is evolving rapidly, quickly leaving products irrelevant to meeting customer needs.
The industry, from OEMs to Tier 2 suppliers, is still learning how best to use LiDAR on vehicles and how best to develop LiDAR components.
In such a market landscape, vertical integration might be tempting but often results in costly development costs, very risky ROI, and a heavy burden on a product roadmap that has to remain flexible.
Rather than betting on unpredictable volumes and standards, we are driving these changes today with the necessary agility that some components and solutions allow, especially coming from reliable, best-in-class automotive partners.**
Synergies across products, however, make sense for us as a system provider and a global leader in ADAS. In that sense, using common processing solutions between ADAS applications definitely brings a competitive advantage.***
Additionally, our products follow the larger Valeo strategy in terms of data processing centralization and the Software Defined Vehicle. For LiDAR perception, this means that most of the processing will likely migrate to a central computing unit***, making the LiDAR a satellite sensor. This will come with new business models and will facilitate a wider adoption of LiDAR on vehicles.
* TENNs?
** BrainChip since 2020
*** Nvidia/Qualcomm/????
So it looks like a Valeo lidar with integrated Akida SoC is not on the immediate horizon, as we had already suspected, but the references to SDV, ecosystem, software etc leave the door open for Akida 2/TENNs simulation software as we know Akida is processor agnostic.
Mercedes has also been developing its SDV, so again, as we suspected, maybe no Akida chips there for a while,
https://www.yolegroup.com/player-in...-ahead-an-interview-with-valeo-lidar-systems/
Compared to the previous generation, the Valeo SCALATM 3 optical head delivers an outstanding 50x points per second (more than any other player in the industry) and adds a 4th sensing dimension (passive image) synchronized in time and space* with the point cloud. This dual, very high-density output allows us to speak about LiDAR “images” and use Artificial Intelligence algorithms that were so far used for cameras, bringing LiDAR perception to an entirely new level, including low-level fusion.
Our software capabilities* allow us to provide an extensive suite of modules and LiDAR functions, from point cloud classification, object tracking, blockage detection, rain & spray detection, online calibration and misalignment detection, guaranteeing unparalleled availability, safety, and reliability.
...
Valeo reinvented the classical approach with the lessons learned from the past generations and the increased technological progress of the suppliers (Let’s not forget about ecosystem development, the only viable way to success!)**,
The interviewer asked about Valeo making their own chip, but CN pointed out the state of flux of the tech
. In addition, the LiDAR offering is evolving rapidly, quickly leaving products irrelevant to meeting customer needs.
The industry, from OEMs to Tier 2 suppliers, is still learning how best to use LiDAR on vehicles and how best to develop LiDAR components.
In such a market landscape, vertical integration might be tempting but often results in costly development costs, very risky ROI, and a heavy burden on a product roadmap that has to remain flexible.
Rather than betting on unpredictable volumes and standards, we are driving these changes today with the necessary agility that some components and solutions allow, especially coming from reliable, best-in-class automotive partners.**
Synergies across products, however, make sense for us as a system provider and a global leader in ADAS. In that sense, using common processing solutions between ADAS applications definitely brings a competitive advantage.***
Additionally, our products follow the larger Valeo strategy in terms of data processing centralization and the Software Defined Vehicle. For LiDAR perception, this means that most of the processing will likely migrate to a central computing unit***, making the LiDAR a satellite sensor. This will come with new business models and will facilitate a wider adoption of LiDAR on vehicles.
* TENNs?
** BrainChip since 2020
*** Nvidia/Qualcomm/????
So it looks like a Valeo lidar with integrated Akida SoC is not on the immediate horizon, as we had already suspected, but the references to SDV, ecosystem, software etc leave the door open for Akida 2/TENNs simulation software as we know Akida is processor agnostic.
Mercedes has also been developing its SDV, so again, as we suspected, maybe no Akida chips there for a while,
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