Electric vehicles (EV) have brought with them a host of safety features - chief among them are the driver assistance sensor and vision technologies that keep passengers safe during those unpredictable moments on the road.
Overview
Most car accidents occur due to driver error. Thankfully, automotive and electronics technologies have mutually evolved to the point where they can make meaningful, life-saving differences. And just a handful of technologies have made driving today a lot safer than 20 or 30 years ago.
Cameras are no longer novel features in automobiles. Backup cameras are now required, and even forward-facing dash cams have become relatively common. Automotive OEMs continue to find new applications for image sensors, whether it be monitoring the driver for attentiveness or helping them maintain lanes and space between vehicles.
Lidar and radar are providing key spatial mapping data about the environment, giving the vehicle and driver a complete picture of the environment. It helps drivers identify vehicles in a blind spot or that are getting too close, too quickly. Parking is made simpler and less dangerous with proximity sensors. These technologies are also important for night vision and lane keeping systems.
GPS has made it almost impossible to get lost in any vehicle with a navigation system. Drivers are better able to anticipate maneuvers and adapt to changing routes and conditions. GPS is also key to night vision and forward collision warning.
Join our roundtable discussion with industry experts on the light sensing, optical, GPS and other technologies that are keeping passengers and drivers safe on the road today.
Speakers
Edgar Sotter is a senior director of new product technology in the CSA Group. His team looks to the technology horizon for new developments and applications that could present opportunities for CSA's Test, Inspection and Certification business.
Prior to joining CSA, Edgar worked as senior director, product strategies & client solutions at Systems with Intelligence Inc. (SWI), a manufacturer of monitoring products for the electrical sector.
Edgar has 20 years of combined academic, technical and business experience. He has a Ph.D in electronic engineering from Universidad Rovira I Virgili (Spain), an executive MBA from the University of Toronto (Canada) and a bachelor's of science in electronic engineering from Universidad del Norte (Colombia).
Nithin Narayanan is senior manager of Murata's Mobility Solution Business Development group. This team is responsible for delivering sensing and connectivity module solutions such as inertial, proximity, thermal, IVI and V2X for automotive and emerging mobility applications. He has more than 10 years of experience working with several leading automotive OEMs and Tier 1s on safety critical applications. Nithin also led the engagement with several mobility players on sensor integration in autonomous driving, ADAS, and perception systems.
Els graduated as an automotive engineer in 1983 and gained automotive engineering experience working for prominent OEMs and first tier suppliers in South Africa. This includes time with Nissan South Africa's Product Development Division, Daimler Chrysler, Toyota, Fiat/ Alfa Romeo, Beijing Automotive Works (BAW), as well as tier-one suppliers Robert Bosch and Pi Shurlok.
After consulting to the local industry for 15 years, Els has ventured into technical writing and journalism about the latest trends, technologies, opportunities and threats facing the new world of mobility. He has analyzed and reported on nascent global automotive technologies and trends for over 10 years, with dozens of articles and reports being published and cited on platforms aimed at automotive professionals, businesses, and savvy car enthusiasts.
Warren Smith brings to Insight LiDAR experience leading cross-functional teams at both Uber Advanced Technologies Group and Aurora Innovation. As a signal processing and perception expert, his teams spanned both hardware and software to define requirements, engage sensor teams, evaluate sensors and develop autonomy software. As Director of Perception for Insight LiDAR, Smith works with company partners to integrate its ultra-dense, data-rich point clouds into their autonomy software. Additionally, Smith works with Insight LiDAR's core development team to hone the flexible, chip-scale platform to meet the needs of key partners. Smith holds a master's in Machine Learning from the University of Arizona, a master's in electrical engineering-signal processing from USC and a bachelor's in electrical engineering with a minor in economics from Brigham Young University.
Until 2020, Sutton worked as an independent and freelance consultant for a variety of automotive OEMs. This includes time as a software systems engineer for Bosch UK, working on ADAS for the Landrover Defender. He has more than 20 years of professional experience between Lotus, Jaguar, Bentley, Caterpillar Electronics, Rolls-Royce, Landrover, Ford and Bosch. He is currently studying for his master's of science in AI, with the goal of utilizing AI in ADAS.