How Periscope V2X warns drivers of unseen hazards

A joint effort by TE Connectivity, ALP.Lab GmbH and Cepton successfully completed a proof-of-concept test for the Periscope V2X system that warns drivers of unseen hazards in their path. The platform they created extends the driver's field of view using lidar sensors mounted at intersections to "see around corners," which communicate with the vehicle to engage the brakes if pedestrians, bicycle riders or other objects are detected. This is done within 5 seconds before they become visible, thus avoiding an accident.

The system makes use of Cepton's 3D lidar perception, ALP.Lab's system integration, testing and data analytics and TE Connectivity's V2X technology. V2X, known as vehicle-to-everything, allows communication between a vehicle and anything else that may affect or may be affected by the vehicle. The communication system incorporates additional types of communication standards, including V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure), V2N (vehicle-to-network), V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle), V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian), V2D (vehicle-to-device).

The V2X standard is based on the same technology used to connect mobile devices to the Internet. That technology is known as the 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. LTE is a 4G technology that is used to connect mobile devices to the Internet, and can provide speeds of up to 100 Mbps. To that end, Periscope's V2X solution is outfitted with an Arm-based SoC ECU, 802.11p transceiver, C-V2X modem, and a single-chip 4G LTE modem. The ECU supports both 802.11p and C-V2X communications, enabling automakers to deploy the solution in both North America and Europe.

The system also uses the Cepton Helius smart lidar system with the SORA-P60 line of scanning sensors, which are mounted on poles at the intersection. The SORA-P60 scans in a 360° horizontal field of view and a 26.8° vertical field of view, with a range of up to 60 meters. The data collected by the sensors is then processed by ALP. Lab's perception software, which uses a deep learning algorithm to identify pedestrians and other objects. The data is then transmitted to the vehicle over a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) link, which is used to warn the driver of a potential hazard.

TE Connectivity's V2X solution provides  data aggregation and wireless connectivity, including antennas, compensators, ECU and robust connectors that can handle harsh environments.

items in a network for v2x

 

TE provided its latest V2X hardware, which was designed to enable vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. It comprises software, antennae, and cables and is equipped with a cellular modem and an embedded global positioning system module. The antennae's design allows for easier installation and allows the system to avoid interference from other electronic devices in the vehicle, while the modem and GPS module are compliant with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project's C-V2X standard and can send and receive data at up to 10Mbps.

 

 

Cepton, ALP.Lab and TE tested Periscope V2X using a mockup where a pedestrian, positioned around a corner, started to venture across the road, stepping into the lane of the approaching test vehicle. The system alerted the driver of the walking pedestrian five seconds before the pedestrian entered the driver's field of view (see video above). The 3D sensing lidar generated smart analytics during the test, while TE connectivity's V2X system provided real-time communication to the vehicle and street-positioned sensors, allowing the driver to act before a potential accident could occur.

According to a 2020 report from the NHTSA, 6,516 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in that year, along with 54,769 injured, or one every ten minutes. Accidents of these types happen more frequently in urban areas where vehicle and pedestrian densities are significantly higher than those in rural areas with limited infrastructure. While technologies such as ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) help reduce those fatalities and injuries, there's still a critical gap in smart city infrastructure where not all road users have that increased field of view for early warning detection systems such as Periscope.

That said, the Periscope V2X system was designed to provide increased awareness for both the driver and the vehicle with real-time traffic overviews beyond visible surroundings and simple onboard sensors. The capability of "seeing" pedestrians and bike riders before they enter the path of moving vehicles has become a critical issue that can no longer be ignored.

"The results of the V2X' Periscope' are yet another proof point that V2X and sensing technology is ready to save human lives in road traffic every day," stated Ralf Klaedtke, CTO Transportation Solutions at TE Connectivity, in a statement. "V2X communication will be the breakthrough technology to advance the safety of autonomous driving and intelligent future mobility. This technology will play a key role in TE's future."

RELATED: Cepton, TE Connectivity, ALP. Lab boost Periscope V2X with lidar for AV safety