There may be no more critical gating factor to the future of autonomous driving than perfecting object detection. That means training systems to recognize everything from road signs, other vehicles and stray objects on the road to pedestrians and cyclists.
Technologies ranging from AI to LiDAR to camera sensors are employed to this end, and now IonQ and Hyundai Motor Company believe quantum computing also may be able to assist in advancing object detection for autonomous driving. The companies, which already have a partnership working to apply IonQ’s quantum computing technology to improve electric vehicle batteries, have announced an expansion of their relationship to study what quantum-based machine learning can do for image classification and 3D object detection.
IonQ and Hyundai already have started using IonQ’s Aria, the company’s latest-generation quantum computer, to encode images of road signs into quantum states, essentially using quantum processors to recognize and classify different types of signs. The IonQ system is “well underway” in classifying 43 types of road signs, a statement from the company said, adding, “The next phase will see the two companies apply IonQ’s machine learning data to Hyundai’s test environment and simulate various real-world scenarios.”
As part of this project, IonQ and Hyundai will look to develop quantum techniques for the broad task of 3D object detection, expanding the current work on recognizing road signs to include other objects like pedestrians or cyclists. The companies believe quantum computers can process such object images faster and more accurately than classical computers, likely saving costs and time in the broader technology development and manufacturing process. The companies said image classification and 3D object detection “are foundational steps toward the next generation of mobilities, including autonomous vehicles.”
“We are excited to expand our existing relationship with Hyundai Motor to focus on another key aspect of next-generation mobility,” said Peter Chapman, President and CEO of IonQ. “From partnering on battery research for electric vehicles to image classification and object detection research for automated driving, we expect to see quantum computers become an even more integral part in developing novel transportation solutions.”
The latest effort comes after IonQ and Hyundai announced in January that they had partnered to use quantum computing for advanced chemical process simulations that could be used to help create more efficient EV batteries. Hyundai is far from the only auto company looking to leverage the power of quantum computing, as Toyota and Japan’s QunaSys partnered on a similar battery improvement project. Also, BMW Group has worked extensively with the technology and sponsors a contest with Amazon Web Services to explore new use cases for quantum computing. In addition, Mercedes Benz owner Daimler AG has worked with IBM on quantum projects.
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