Hailo Technologies, whose AI acceleration processors often have been mentioned in context with security cameras and industrial automation, has earned a partnership in the automotive sector. Along with chip company Renesas, Hailo is working with iMotion, an automotive technology supplier in China, to provide a Chinese automaker with a solution for autonomous driving, parking and related applications.
Specifically, iMotion is using the Hailo-8 AI accelerator and the Renesas R-Car V4H System-on-Chip to power itsiMotion iDC High domain controller for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving. The Hailo-8 processor will help the iMotion controller enable applications such as Highway Pilot/Navigate on Autopilot (NoA), Automated Home Parking, and in the future also Urban Pilot/NoA, according to a Hailo statement. The statement added that a Chinese automaker is expected to begin mass production with iMotion iDC High domain controller in the second half of this year.
Hailo added that the combination of technologies allows the controller to support Bird’s Eye View 3D perception for advanced automated driving applications and enhances safety and comfort with a 10V5R sensor configuration. The Hailo-8’s low power consumption allows for passive cooling of the ECU, lowering the cost of the residual bill of materials and simplifying the vehicle integration, ultimately helping make the technology more viable and cost-effective for mass market vehicles.
“We chose to partner with Hailo for high performance AI in ADAS because of the advanced AI capabilities and efficiencies their Hailo-8 AI processor brings to the market for the benefit of all drivers,” said iMotion CTO Calvin Lu. “The Hailo-8 accelerator is unique in its ability to enable power-efficient AI acceleration of state-of-the-art Neural Networks with low energy consumption that greatly advances automotive innovation.”
Takeshi Fuse, Vice President of Marketing, High Performance Computing Division of Renesas, added, “The integration of the Renesas R-Car SoC with the Hailo-8 AI accelerator further enables unprecedented capabilities such as Bird’s-Eye-View 3D perception at an affordable cost for mass market vehicles. Together, we are bringing to life a new era in high performance, affordable automated driving that will benefit the Chinese automotive market specifically and the automotive industry at large.”
The automotive deal follows Hailo’s recent expansion of its Hailo-8 family to support a broader array of applications as AI interest has spread to new industries, companies, and use cases.
This story previously stated this was Hailo's first partnership in the automotive sector, a detail that was based on third-party information that proved to be incorrect. That detail has been deleted.