Frankfurt
Continental is going to hold a minority stake
in Leipzig-based start-up Kopernikus Automotive. The size of the investment has
not yet been disclosed by either of the parties.
Kopernikus is a specialist in autonomous
driving technologies and develops solutions for infrastructure-based
maneuvering of vehicles. The artificial intelligence-based algorithms rule the
technology. The automated parking in parking garages and autonomous maneuvering
of newly produced vehicles are the first two use cases of this technology.
The technology is also going to help change
the face of parking in the near future. The first vehicles are steered through
vehicle factories without a driver. The Automated Valet Parking helps the
drivers to go out of the car and hand over the vehicle to the infrastructure
via an application and the car gets parked automatically. The infrastructure
installed in the parking garage guides the vehicle. Here cameras act as
sensors. AI-based algorithms form the heart of the system. It ensures safety
and guidance to all vehicles.
Kopernikus Automotive offers such solutions
that can be implemented in any parking garage, airport, or hotel so that car
parking can be made autonomous. Also, this system is cost-effective. To use
this solution, an additional vehicle function, i.e., Central Motion Control is
a prerequisite. This helps in the conversion of the trajectory specified by the
intelligent infrastructure into the control of the corresponding actuators. The
components of the vehicle that are needed for this include an electric parking
brake, an automatic transmission, an intelligent communication unit, and
electric steering assistance. Many vehicles already have these components
according to the standards.
According to Ralph Lauxmann, Head of
Strategy and Future Solutions, Continental, in the future, the aim is that the
cars should be able to move on their own in factories, parking garages, and
logistics centres. Kopernikus and Continental are working hand in hand to offer
a comfortable, safe, and affordable solution. He also said that at Continental, the team is trying to come up with
solutions for both autonomous parking procedures based on vehicle sensor data
and a solution based on intelligent infrastructure. The company wants to move
ahead in this direction with the help of Kopernikus. By acquiring a stake here,
the company wants to offer a timely and marketable solution.
Source
– Press release of "Continental"
Also
Read:
Comments