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Self - driving vehicle rely on many sensing element to detect objects and the world around them . The established approach is to work with cameras and lidars . But some technical school party and inauguration have work up advanced gamy - resolution radiolocation technology for sovereign vehicle , also known as 4D imaging radar .
Among them is a South Korea - based startup calledbitsensing . The startup says its 4D imaging radar is not just for independent driving but can also be applied to smart cities and digital health care , and it close a $ 25 million Series B circle for the high - solvent radio detection and ranging engineering science .
Bitsensing was founded in 2018 by Jae - Eun Lee , chief operating officer of bitsensing , a former elderly research engine driver who led South Korea ’s first midrange 77GHz advanced machine driver - assistance organisation ( ADAS ) for vehicles at Mando Corporation , a Korean Tier 1 supplier .
Lee was barrack in 2015 after he saw a tragical road collision at the Incheon Yeongjong Bridge in Korea due to heavy fog and inadequate visibility . That turn point helped him realize how crucial the acceptation of microwave radar engineering could be in preventing such accidents , and he decided to focus on accelerating its commercialisation by take up bitsensing .
“ Traditional approaches , especially in the automotive sphere , have often concentrate on camera andlidarsystems . However , these system are limited by environmental conditions like pitiful lighting , fog or rainwater , which is essential for mobility system , ” Lee said , adding that the restriction can lead to reduced accuracy and dependableness in detect objects and ascertain safety .
When ask if 4D imaging engineering can supervene upon lidar in the near future , Lee state me that see microwave radar ’s current operation can not yet match the extremely mellow closure of current lidar systems , but it holds significant potential . That means as imaging radiolocation technology continue to acquire , it is expected to reach a point where it can replace lidar , likely at a faster stride than the development of lidar itself .
At CES in 2023 , Amnon Shashua , CEO of Mobileye , an Israel - based autonomous drive company , said in his speech that Mobileye , which also developed its own 4D radar , only want to deploy 4D imaging radars except for the front lidar by 2025 . Shashua ’s input caught the attention of industry people . According toa report by Frost & Sullivan , most OEMs will incorporate 4D imaging microwave radar into their ADAS / AD sensor suite alongside cameras , lidars , and other sensing and imagery radars .
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Bitsensing is not the only companionship develop 4D imaging radar . California - basedAltos Radarand Tel Aviv- and Dallas - basedArbe Roboticshave also built high - resolution microwave radar for autonomous cars to perceive objects around them . Lee also mentionedOculiiand Zendar as the startup ’s peers in the manufacture .
When asked what ’s so unlike from its challenger , its high - root 4D imaging radar provide a surround sensing resolution for self - driving vehicle systems with a range coverage of more than 300 meters and a 50 % advancement in detection range compared to conventional radio detection and ranging .
On top of that , the company claims that its traffic perceptivity monitoring sensor ( TIMOS ) is the first sensing element to mix an edge AI computing twist into an levelheaded Department of Transportation scheme ( ITS ) root .
For example , its 24GHz AI traffic radar machine is power by Nvidia Jetson with an integrated GPU system . That means the elimination of cumbersome extraneous PCs and cables with its TIMOS , alternatively of being a individual system that rapidly moves datum aggregation to analysis . The TIMOS , which is now being used across six countries , provides visibility and intelligence information across 12 lane of dealings and vehicle detection like gondola and motorcycles . It also can identify safety issue , including jaywalking , wrong - way driving , speed violations , and stationary vehicles .
“ Our dealings solvent fuses camera and radar technologies and we ’re currently working on a number of task to install this amalgamate radar offering along main road from South Korea and beyond , ” Lee continued . “ The benefits admit management of traffic and track unexpected events such as halt cars , while also supply real - time dealings insight to control centers on the volume of vehicles , speeds and occupation . ”
The outfit also wants to apply its radiolocation technology for digital health , specifically slumber care . The company enjoin its radio detection and ranging can monitor rest quality , apnea , and limb movements and offer data analysis about substance abuser ’ sleep condition .
“ For health tech , we provide the radar hardware as well as APIs for company to integrate eternal rest character monitoring into their software system , ” Lee told TechCrunch . “ Currently , our root is being introduced into aged attention adeptness and infirmary in South Korea , Singapore , and Japan . ”
Lee said the turnout is currently in the revenue increment stage and is try out to expand globally through strategical partnerships . It can offer hardware and computer software , data , and licensing contracts .
“ of late , delays in the commercialization of self-governing drive engineering have become a substantial publication , leading some to believe there might be limitations in the detector food market . However , with the transition to the era of software package - defined vehicle ( SDV ) , there is an increase demand to quick desegregate high-pitched - performance and multiple sensor from the early stage . Consequently , the securities industry for imaging radar and advanced radar is expected to expand very fast , ” Lee mentioned .
Investors , including Korea Development Bank , HL Mando Corporation , Industrial Bank of Korea , and Aju Capital , participated in the latest round , which brings its total raised to $ 46 million since its inception .
