BRN - Mercedes

[SERA2g]

Bringing across a Mercedes post that I've done on the old forum which shall not be named for newer members to read. There's plenty which could also be brought across so feel free to add anything that you feel is relevant.
__________________

Posted 26/01/2022


I've been doing some latenight reading on all things akida and have stumbled upon some news that I was unaware of and am fairly sure has not been posted on HC before.

Before Mercedes' eventual incorporation of akida into its EQXX voice control system, Mercedes collaborated with Intel to test its neuromorphic processor and its suitability for simple voice commands in vehicles...... Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Mike Davies!

See the following article by Accenture Labs titled "Driving intelligence at the edge with Neuromorphic Computing".

On page 6 there is a case study titled "Responsive voice control for smart vehicles".

In a recent collaboration with an automotive client, we demonstrated that spiking
neural networks running on a neuromorphic processor can recognize
simple voice commands up to 0.2 seconds faster than a commonly used
embedded GPU accelerator, while using up to a thousand times less
power. This brings truly intelligent, low latency interactions into play, at
the edge, even within the power-limited constraints of a parked vehicle.

The above paragraph left me wondering whether Mercedes was the automotive client in question. I thought the chances were high given that Mercedes is, that I'm aware of, the only automotive business using spiking neural networks within its voice control system.

See page 16 for the Accenture team responsible for the document. Their LinkedIn's can be found here: Alex Kass (Director at Accenture Labs) and Timothy Shea (Research Lead at Intel (previously at Accenture Labs)).

I then did a @ManChildreborn😜 style deep dive on their respective LinkedIn pages and found an interesting post on Tim's LinkedIn. The article linked to his post is titled "Smarter Cars: Auto Makers Experiment With Chips That Think Like Humans".

For context, the article is dated December 10th 2020 and in my view, achieves three things:

1. It confirms, irrefutably, that Mercedes was testing Intel neuromorphic processors as recently as December 2020
2. Peter's Van Der Made's consistent "we have a three-year lead on our competitors" is well founded, at least when it comes to Intel.
3. The article shows how truly well timed and positioned akida is in being the first and only SNN neuromorphic processor available to the market

Support for 1 - It's there in plain english.
Support for 2 - Within the article, and from the horses mouth: "Intel’s neuromorphic chips could begin selling commercially within five years, according to Mike Davies, director of Intel’s Neuromorphic Computing Lab." Five years from December 2020 puts Intel's Loihi commercialisation out to December 2025. Akida was commercially available around December 2021 and so we have a 4 year lead or thereabouts.
Support for 3 - A direct quote from the article: "The chips are expected to be the predominant computing architecture for new, advanced forms of AI deployments by 2025, according to Gartner. By that year, Gartner predicts the technology will displace graphics-processing units." Intel bloody well better hurry up or they won't have a neuromorphic processor on the market when their GPU's are displaced.

Now for some extra fun - if you revert back to the post on Tim's LinkedIn and read the comments, you will find a comment by Alex Kass. Alex refers to the collaboration with the automotive client and provides a link to an "Intel Labs Day 2020: Accenture Session" video that demonstrates Intel's Kapoho Bay / Loihi chip recognising voice commands in a proof of concept system (2:50 - 6:18) such as turning lights on and off, opening doors and starting the engine.

As history shows, Mercedes went with akida in the end.

Why wait until 2025 for a SNN neuromorphic processor when you can have it now?

IMO DYOR

 

[TTE]

bringing across a post I made last week in the Brainchip ASX Shareholders Group (BRN) bookface group.

This hints/suggests that "Hey Mercedes" will be in the new C-Class Benz 2nd Generation MBUX infotainment system.... eg...not a concept car.

***NOTE**** Nothing has been confirm as akida in the C-Class, just speculation...

start watching video at 1:15s for those who want to skip ahead

PS. Rob Telson liked this on Linkedin also - would that be a potential Dot joined?

[Video] Mercedes-Benz AG on LinkedIn: #mercedesbenz #cclass #sedan #mbux | 39 comments

Check out the new C-Class, featuring a fully digital cockpit and the next generation MBUX infotainment system. The brilliant, high-resolution 11.9-inch central… | 39 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[Space Cadet]

That's so cool

SC

 

[TheFunkMachine]

https://www.mercedes-benz.com.au/pa...r-electric-vehicle-strategy/stage.module.html

Article posted by Mercedes on their road to complete electric range by 2025. Sorry if posted before. Very exciting to think they are using Akida in their ev range. I suspect “hot word” is only the beginning where this tech will be implemented with their range.

 

[Fullmoonfever]

I know we've seen and read a fair bit on the Merc concept but I just liked the way this article was written....to Elon

Couple snippets I also liked...my bold.

Mercedes engineers worked with California-based artificial-intelligence developer BrainChip to create systems based on the company's Akida hardware and software. Among other things, the technology makes the "Hey, Mercedes" voice control system in the EQXX five to ten times more efficient than conventional voice control.

Mercedes says it meets all current crash safety regulations—previews cutting-edge technologies and techniques that are ultimately destined to appear on production Mercedes models.

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Concept: Did You See This Coming, Elon?​

The establishment strikes back, as the stunning EV shows what a legacy automaker is capable of.​

SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS

Angus MacKenzieWriterThe ManufacturerPhotographer
Jan 3, 2022

Okay, Elon, this is where it gets serious. The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is what folks who've been building automobiles for more than a century can do when they turn the might of their huge research and development budgets entirely to thinking about designing and engineering a better electric vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz says the Vision EQXX will travel more than 620 miles on a single charge. But here's the thing: Unlike the current range kings of the EV world such as the Lucid Air Grand Touring (516 miles, according to the EPA) and the Tesla Model S Long Range (405, per the EPA) Mercedes says it'll do so with a smaller battery pack—just under 100 kWh in capacity versus the Lucid's 118-kWh pack and the Tesla's 100-kWh pack.
That's better than 6.2 miles per kWh, which would make the EQXX a third more efficient than the Lucid and 55 percent more efficient than the Tesla. This Mercedes changes the conversation around EVs away from today's almost total focus on range as a function of battery capacity. In the EQXX, range is a function of a holistic approach to vehicle efficiency.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
And Mercedes believes there are good practical reasons for taking that approach: "It would have been easy to just use a big battery to get the range," says EQXX drivetrain engineer Tim Wölfel. "But we wanted that range in a compact vehicle."
The car's long tail flatters to deceive: The Vision EQXX is more compact than it looks. Its 110.2-inch wheelbase is exactly 3.0 inches shorter than that of a Tesla Model 3, and is right between those of the current A-Class and C-Class sedans. And while the battery has almost the same capacity as the 100-kWh unit in the 126.4-inch-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz EQS, it's half the size and weighs 30 percent less.
True, the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is a concept. But it's not vaporware. Like key Mercedes concepts of the past, such as the Experimental Safety vehicles of the 1970s, this fully street-legal prototype—Mercedes says it meets all current crash safety regulations—previews cutting-edge technologies and techniques that are ultimately destined to appear on production Mercedes models.
And it's not just the car that's efficient: A new digitally led design and engineering process saw the EQXX go from idea to road ready in just 18 months, bringing together expertise from the company's Formula 1 and Formula E race engineering groups, its research department, prototyping specialists, and the production development team.

The Vision EQXX may be one of the most consequential concept cars of the early 21st century. Here's why.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
POWERTRAIN
The Vision EQXX is powered by a single 200-hp electric motor mounted at the rear of the car and driving the rear wheels. The motor is based on the eATS unit that currently powers the compact EQA hatch and the newly launched EQB SUV, but it has been extensively reworked with the help of engineers from the Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrain (HPP) facility in Brixworth, England.
HPP, which designs and builds the fiendishly complex and highly efficient Mercedes Formula 1 powertrains, worked on every element of the EQXX drivetrain to reduce energy consumption and losses through system design, material selection, lubrication, and heat management. HPP also designed the EQXX's power inverter, and the power electronics unit is the same one HPP helped develop for the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE hypercar.
"The motorsport guys count every joule of energy," says Tim Wölfel, explaining that the EQXX's drivetrain is 95 percent efficient. In other words, 95 percent of the energy sent from the battery gets to the driving wheels.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
BATTERY
To reduce its size and weight, the EQXX's battery pack dispenses with the conventional method of packing cells into separate enclosed modules, and has a lightweight top cover made from sugarcane waste reinforced with carbon fiber, a materials technology used in Formula 1. Weighing under 1100 pounds, the EQXX's pack has an energy density of more than 200 Wh/kg.
Mercedes says the high energy density comes in part from the chemistry of the anodes, which have a higher silicon content and an advanced composition that means they can hold considerably more energy than commonly used anodes. The battery also has active cell balancing, which means power is drawn evenly from all cells. The EQXX system is very high voltage—more than 900V, well above the industry standard of 400V and even the 800V used in the Porsche Taycan.

The battery is only passively cooled, by the airflow under the car. How practical is that? "We want to find out," says Wölfel, disarmingly reinforcing the idea the EQXX is a proper working concept, not a show car. "What we are thinking is that each battery cell heats itself, and if we know the cell well, we can control the temperature of the cell. A lot of resources are being put into this. We have to find out what is the best state of charge."
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
AERODYNAMICS
Mercedes engineers have calculated that on the average long-distance drive, 20 percent of the energy stored in an electric vehicle's battery will be consumed overcoming rolling resistance, and 18 percent by losses in the drivetrain and other vehicle systems. The rest—62 percent—will be consumed simply by pushing the vehicle through the air. That simple stat is the reason the EQXX has a claimed drag coefficient of just 0.18.
In profile and plan view, the EQXX has the classic teardrop shape of extreme wind cheaters such as GM's groundbreaking EV1 and the Volkswagen XL1 hypermiler, cars both referenced by Mercedes engineers, along with the three-pointed star's own 1938 540K Streamliner, the C111-III concept of the 1970s, and the Concept IAA unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Show, all of which boasted stated drag coefficients of 0.19 or 0.18. To get that shape, the rear track is two inches narrower than the front, and the cabin tapers dramatically above the car's voluptuous hips.
At the front, air is carefully directed under the car, where a shutter system allows extra airflow to pass over a cooling plate for the electric motor if needed. Air is also directed around the front wheels to form a curtain and help keep the flow attached to the side of the car to reduce drag. The long tail helps reduce wasteful turbulence in the car's wake, with an active rear diffuser that lowers and extends at about 40 mph to help keep the speed of the air coming from under the car equal to that streaming off the sides and top.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
BODY STRUCTURE
Mercedes says the ultrahigh-strength steel used in the EQXX's body structure offers excellent occupant protection in the event of a crash, while keeping weight to a minimum. The doors are made from a hybrid of carbon- and fiberglass-reinforced plastics with aluminium reinforcements. A new polyamide foam reinforces the lower edge of the door and optimizes energy absorption in a side collision. The roof is covered with solar panels.
The most innovative bits of the EQXX's body are the things you can't see, like the large cast aluminum structure that extends from the rear floor and provides mounting points for the rear suspension and the motor. This casting is made using a patented process that creates a structure that mimics the load and strength paths of natural organisms, reducing excess material to a minimum. As a result, there isn't a single straight line or flat surface on the part. The process, dubbed Bionicast, was also used to create the front shock tower domes of the EQS.

As the Bionicast process eliminates material from anywhere it's not needed while preserving structural integrity, the rear inner fenders are full of large holes. To fill them, Mercedes uses a sustainable plastic substitute developed by an Israeli startup called UBQ Materials; it's made from typical landfill trash such as food and garden waste as well as mixed plastics, cardboard, and even diapers. The combination of the Bionicast process and UBQ patches can reduce the weight of large structural castings by 15 to 20 percent, according to Mercedes.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
LIGHTWEIGHTING
EVs, even high-performance ones like Porsche's Taycan Turbo S, aren't usually hard on their brakes, despite their weight, because a lot of braking is done using regeneration via the motor(s). The EQXX is thus fitted with coated aluminum brake rotors rather than iron or carbon-composite units. The aluminum rotors save 29 pounds over conventional iron units, and are considerably less expensive to make than carbon-composite ones.
Corvette fans will be delighted to learn the EQXX has fiberglass-reinforced plastic rear springs. Unlike the simple Corvette leaf, however, the EQXX springs look like four-inch-wide, half-inch-thick strips of plastic folded into a serpentine shape. Developed in partnership with German supplier Rheinmetall Automotive, these strange looking pieces are said to be much lighter than conventional coil springs.
Behind the EQXX's beautifully styled flush wheel covers are ultralight 20-inch forged magnesium wheels. The wheels are shod with specially developed Bridgestone Turanza tires that are also lightweight and have ultra-low rolling resistance.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
ENERGY OPTIMIZATION
Once you get past the wins in terms of aerodynamics, powertrain optimization, and weight reduction, the efficiency devil is in the details. And the EQXX brims with clever technologies and features that are designed to help the car extract the most performance from every joule of energy it consumes.
The 117 solar panels on the roof of the EQXX feed into a 12V system that powers many of the car's ancillaries. On a good day, says Mercedes, the system will lower the draw on the 900V system enough to deliver a 15-mile bump in range. Meanwhile, sensors around the car monitor the airflow so the EQXX can calculate the positive or negative impact of changes in wind direction on energy consumption. Combining all that data with detailed terrain and traffic information, the EQXX will constantly calculate and display a speed that delivers maximum efficiency.

The curved 8K screen that stretches 47.2 inches between the A-pillars makes the most of the EQXX's crisp and sparkling game-engine-powered graphics, including a realtime 3D navigation display. The mini-LED backlit screen features more than 3000 local dimming zones, which means it only consumes power as and when specific parts of the screen are in use. The EQXX has conventional external rearview mirrors because engineers concluded a camera system like that used on Audi's e-tron in global markets would consume too much energy.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR
The EQXX interior is visually spectacular. Some parts, such as the steering wheel, gear selector, and wiper and turn signal stalks are existing Mercedes parts. The car also features the same touch-sensitive seat-adjustment system as on the latest generation Mercedes models. More important, though, the big infotainment screen looks a part of the overall design, not added in.
But what's more impressive is that almost all the fabrics and leathers and carpeting are made of either plant-based organic materials or recycled plastics. The door pulls, for example, are made from a vegan-certified biofabricated silk. The seats are trimmed in an animal-free leather made from pulverized cactus fibers combined with a bio-based polyurethane. The seat cushions' details are covered in a vegan leather alternative made from mycelium, which is the underground rootlike structure of mushrooms.
The carpets are made from 100 percent bamboo fiber. Recycled PET bottles used in a shimmering textile enhance the floor area and door trim, while an artificial suede made from 38 percent recycled PET has been used to create a wraparound effect linking the upper edge of the one-piece screen with the doors and headliner.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING
Neuro what? Neuromorphic computing is a form of information processing whose hardware runs so-called spiking neural networks. These artificial neural networks mimic natural neural networks, firing only when certain thresholds are reached. Mercedes says the system reduces energy consumption "by orders of magnitude."
Mercedes engineers worked with California-based artificial-intelligence developer BrainChip to create systems based on the company's Akida hardware and software. Among other things, the technology makes the "Hey, Mercedes" voice control system in the EQXX five to ten times more efficient than conventional voice control.

Mercedes acknowledges that while neuromorphic computing is still in its infancy, it says similar systems will be available in a variety of consumer products within a few years. And when applied at scale throughout an electric vehicle, neuromorphic computing has the potential to significantly reduce the energy needed to run the latest artificial intelligence technologies.
SEE ALL 11 PHOTOS
ARE YOU READY, ELON?
The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is an intellectual and technological tour de force, a fully functional prototype that explores the outer limits of electric vehicle efficiency, connectivity, and production feasibility. Mercedes-Benz says the EQXX also showcases its transformation into a software-driven company whose goal is to be the leader in electric vehicles.
"The Vision EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars," says Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Källenius. "It underlines where our entire company is headed: We will build the world's most desirable electric cars."
The gloves are coming off, Elon. Is Tesla ready for the fight?
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[BaconLover]

Mercedes has literally named Brainchip's Akida on their website.
Don't think we need any further dots than that haha.

 

[TheFunkMachine]

Thrace are in the space race ...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://helas.gr/esa/Greek_Space_Catalogue.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiA4eiX3u_1AhW4TWwGHea9D2QQFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0N73cW3q-dvFgrLHo1IOqA

Sorry, I don’t mean to sound negative, but this is the Mercedes thread so only Mercedes’ related article here please

And the other thing while we are at it, was there anything in this article that specifically got you excited in relation to Brainchip? It very long and won’t read it all unless I know there is some key information related to Brainchip etc.

Keep up the good work

 

[Vanman1100]

Wonder if Daimler as a larger company is using our tech.
Mercedes’ Benz also is a bank!

 

[Quatrojos]

Sorry, I don’t mean to sound negative, but this is the Mercedes thread so only Mercedes’ related article here please

And the other thing while we are at it, was there anything in this article that specifically got you excited in relation to Brainchip? It very long and won’t read it all unless I know there is some key information related to Brainchip etc.

Keep up the good work

Hey TFM,

Where did you get your avatar? If I'm not mistaken, that's the coolest image of JC I've ever seen!

Q

 

[TheFunkMachine]

Hey TFM,

Where did you get your avatar? If I'm not mistaken, that's the coolest image of JC I've ever seen!

Q

It is in fact a picture of JC. I found it when I was searching for Jesus Laughing on Google search. I currently have a mate draw it for me in Peru as I like it so much I want to frame it.

 

[Quatrojos]

It is in fact a picture of JC. I found it when I was searching for Jesus Laughing on Google search. I currently have a mate draw it for me in Peru as I like it so much I want to frame it.

I'd like to see it when it's done. I'm gonna google JC giggles right now...

 

[Quatrojos]

It is in fact a picture of JC. I found it when I was searching for Jesus Laughing on Google search. I currently have a mate draw it for me in Peru as I like it so much I want to frame it.

The painting is called 'Joy', by Yongsung Kim. I really dig it, too. Thanks heaps...

 

[Damo4]

Perhaps because it wasn't an ASX ANN, that the Mercedes link was downplayed but this is my favourite release so far.
This is genuine use case, albeit for a prototype, but it's very common for tech to be trialed on a prototype and work it's way in as standard in future vehicles.

I know it's only used for "hey Mercedes" but imagine it had a small camera to check for distractions like earth moving equipment, that also noticed who was entering the vehicle and applied all the presets - wheel/seat position, radio favourites, engine/handling mode etc.

I think true AI in vehicles, that learns on the go, will provide a connection to vehicles that we've never had before.

 

[BaconLover]

The painting is called 'Joy', by Yongsung Kim. I really dig it, too. Thanks heaps...

He does look happy, must know what's coming for BRN share holders.

 

[Quatrojos]

It is in fact a picture of JC. I found it when I was searching for Jesus Laughing on Google search. I currently have a mate draw it for me in Peru as I like it so much I want to frame it.

I just bought a copy on canvas. @Bacon, I think he digs PVDM. Actually, he apparently digs everyone...

 

[Quatrojos]

Off topic unless he drove a Merc?

Hopefully close enough...

 

[TheFunkMachine]

Off topic unless he drove a Merc?

Good point I should not have answered him, I should have started a new thread called Jesus loves PVDM

 

[Fullmoonfever]

Presume being a month old, someone's probs found and posted already...but anyway...I hadn't seen this one yet.


Mercedes Benz VISION EQXX UI/UX – the non-judgemental road trip sidekick.

 

[KMuzza]

Hey Guys listen to this from the 11 30 mi mark - we not allowed to talk about it -

Webcasts - The Wall Street Resource

For notifications of upcoming webcasts Cadiz Inc. (CDZI) A California water solutions company dedicated to providing access to clean, reliable and affordable…

thewallstreetresource.com

 

[Fox151]

I take you all seen this...?

Can I just put it out there that, whether this device had akida or not, this is the single stupidest thing I've ever seen.

Once they get it out of the dark warehouse, it stops looking futuristic and just appears to be an impractically controlled contraption that is too hard to steer to drive faster than walking pace.

Please don't put akida in anything like this? We don't need the money that bad.