Latest news with #DrivePilot
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Deep tech startup Minus Zero unveils autopilot for India
India based Deep tech startup Minus Zero said it has unveiled an end-to-end autopilot system 'for the first time in India' enabling navigation in dense Indian urban traffic with on-coming vehicles and narrow roads with or without lane markings. 'Tested on some of the challenging streets of Bengaluru, our vision-based system can gracefully handle unique obstacles like animals, push-karts, small two-wheelers (Yulu), etc. and their unpredictable behaviours,' the startup said in a statement. To enable such features in unstructured traffic, the company said it has taken an AI-first approach by training end-to-end foundational models that can learn navigation in self-supervised manner from large scale raw data without human labels, instead of traditionally used rule-based systems. 'With the sudden explosion of ADAS (specifically L1 & L2) systems in India over the last few years, we believe it's the right time to shift to even more advanced levels like L2+, L2++ & L3,' it said. 'Today Indian consumers are ready for more technology-rich features at a marginal increase in the price point and experience the luxury, the safety and the comfort that comes with it,' it added. While there are several working L2+ & L3 systems in developed countries like Tesla's FSD, Mercedes' Drive Pilot, GM's Super Cruise, BYD's God's Eye, enabling such autopilot systems in an unstructured traffic environment like India & other emerging countries has been a very challenging task. While 90% of the ADAS products are deployed in few developed countries, 85% of road accidents of the world come from emerging countries, with much more need for such advanced driving assistance systems, the firm said. 'At Minus Zero, we understand this unique pain point and technology shift required for building advanced autopilot systems for all the major emerging countries (starting with India),' it said. Having shown India's first fully driverless vehicle for in-campus mobility, the firm said it has now embark on its next leap of journey with a full-stack autopilot system for Indian traffic. 'Our autopilot system leverages power of bespoke foundational models and self supervised learning to navigate some highly complicated scenarios (as seen in the video) using only cameras, and without reliance on HD Maps,' the firm said. 'This is also the first time when end-to-end foundational models are being tested on Indian roads,' it said. Minus Zero is already working with a couple of large OEMs in their journey to upgrade them to these solutions and is in talks with others for the same. 'While we are still developing & validating the entire system, we aim to be ready for production in the next 2 years alongside our OEM partners,' it said.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Minus Zero develops vision-based autopilot for Indian roads
Bengaluru-based startup Minus Zero has announced the development of an end-to-end autopilot system designed for Indian traffic conditions . The company claims the system has been tested on dense urban streets of Bengaluru, navigating without the need for lane markings and managing obstacles such as animals, push-carts, and small two-wheelers. The system operates using a vision-based architecture and does not rely on HD maps or LiDAR sensors. Minus Zero uses foundational AI models trained in a self-supervised manner using large-scale raw data. Unlike rule-based systems that require manual input and precise environmental mapping, this approach allows the model to learn directly from unlabelled data and generalise to unseen roads and obstacles. The autopilot system fits under the 'Hands OFF & Eyes ON' category, with a safety driver required onboard during operation. Focus on emerging markets and scalable deployment The company sees its solution as suitable for emerging markets where traffic conditions are largely unstructured and road infrastructure varies. According to Minus Zero, while advanced systems like Tesla's FSD or Mercedes' Drive Pilot are operational in developed countries, the specific conditions in India present different challenges. Despite the majority of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) being deployed in developed regions, a significant portion of global road accidents occur in emerging countries, highlighting the need for context-specific solutions. Minus Zero said it is already collaborating with a couple of large automotive manufacturers in India and is in talks with others to integrate this technology. The company targets production readiness within two years in partnership with OEMs. Technology highlights and approach Shift in approach: The system is based on foundational AI models, moving away from supervised learning and rule-based systems. Hardware efficiency: The platform uses a vision-first approach, minimising dependency on expensive sensor suites. Mapless navigation: The system does not rely on HD maps, which are currently not widely available in India. Scalability: The AI models are trained to improve continuously, allowing the solution to adapt across different geographies and vehicle platforms. Full-stack development: Minus Zero has developed its own generative AI tools, simulation environments, and onboard software for deployment. 'After LLMs and AI agents for the digital world, next-gen foundational models for the physical world like autonomous driving, robotics, etc. are gaining momentum globally,' the company said in a media release. 'With India taking a strong stance in creating a foothold in the AI race, this area is an opportunity where we can build in India for the world.'
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot 95: The fastest certified Level 3 self-driving system
Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot 95: The fastest certified Level 3 self-driving system Show Caption Hide Caption Self-driving taxis coming to Atlanta Lyft is partnering with May Mobility to bring a fleet of self-driving Toyota minivans to Atlanta starting this summer, according to Lyft. Fox - 5 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Källenius settles back in the driver's seat of the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan and reaches into the center console. 'Popcorn?' he asks, as the opening credits of the original Ghostbusters movie play out in the center of high-definition Hyperscreen that stretches across the dash. There's a crisp rat-a-tat-tat from the snare drum, then the bass kicks in as Ray Parker Jr rasps: If there's something strange... In your neighborhood... Who ya gonna call… As PR stunts go, it's a bit… ahem… corny. But what's not corny is that fact that the Mercedes-Benz boss and I are going through the motions of watching a movie while the EQS drives itself along the autobahn for miles at a time at a smooth and steady 59 mph, demonstrating a key performance attribute of Mercedes-Benz's upgraded Level 3 autonomous driving system, Drive Pilot 95, weeks before the official media drives. Drive Pilot, the world's first legally approved Level 3 autonomous driving system, made its debut in 2022. Its operating parameters were tightly controlled, limited to traffic traveling at no more than 40 mph on German autobahns. Drive Pilot 95 will, under certain conditions, allow Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS models equipped with the $6,600 option to self-drive for an indefinite period in the right lane of autobahns at speeds of up to 95 km/h (59 mph). Owners of cars equipped with the original Drive Pilot system will be able to upgrade to Drive Pilot 95 free of charge. Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce Drive Pilot into the U.S., which it sees as a big market for autonomous driving technologies and is currently working on changing the system's operating parameters to suit U.S. road and traffic conditions. While first movers and fast movers like Tesla and Chinese automakers have been grabbing the headlines in terms of autonomous driving (though Tesla's much hyped Full Self-Driving option is not a certified Level 3 autonomous drive system) Mercedes-Benz has been quietly working at the frontiers of the technology. The slow pace is deliberate, insists Källenius. 'Mercedes-Benz's philosophy is you deploy a little bit less than what the technology can do, but you continue to develop the technology,' he says. Engineers confirm that in addition to working on a U.S.-optimized version of Drive Pilot that will allow faster operating speeds than Drive Pilot 95, it plans to have the system able to offer full Level 3 autonomous driving capability at speeds up to 80 mph in strict Germany by the end of the decade. Luxury concepts: The 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Manufaktur Golden Coast is a limited-edition masterpiece Ola Källenius is heading the company that invented the automobile through one of the most challenging and transformative eras of the automotive age. Born in Västervik, Sweden, in 1969, he did two years compulsory military service before gaining a degree in finance and accounting at the Stockholm School of Economics before studying management at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland and joining Daimler-Benz in 1993 as a management trainee. He's no dry, colorless beancounter, though. During his career, Källenius worked with Ron Dennis at McLaren's futuristic headquarters in England, overseeing production of the Mercedes SLR McLaren hypercar, has run the company's F1 powertrain business, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, and headed AMG from 2010 to 2013. He speaks passionately and knowledgeably about F1 — he's excited about the prodigiously talented 18-year-old Italian, Kimi Antonelli, stepping into Lewis Hamilton's seat at the Mercedes F1 team when the seven-time world champion goes to Ferrari next year — and has just spent his own money on a Mercedes-AMG SL 63. 'It's a fabulous car. I wanted one I could keep for my son to drive one day.' Ola Källenius well understands developing cars that can drive themselves is just one thing that's challenging the best and brightest engineering brains at Mercedes-Benz. They're also trying to pivot the three-pointed star away from the internal combustion engine that has powered its products for more than a century, and towards EVs; trying to figure out how make vehicles that use fewer resources and dump less carbon into the atmosphere through their entire life cycles. And most importantly, they're trying to figure out how to do all that while staving off the threat from China's more nimble and lower cost automakers. In case you missed it: Mercedes-Benz opens sales for more ultra-luxurious residences in Miami 'The automotive industry is going through a profound change,' agrees Källenius, who says that change is being driven by a systemic shift towards decarbonization and CO₂ neutrality, where the electricity for EVs will come from non-fossil sources. 'We can debate how long it will take,' he says, 'but the destination is zero emissions. That is an enormous industrial and infrastructure undertaking, but I don't think too many people are debating the destination.' If you doubt that statement, follow the money, insists Källenius. He says that in a disruptive business environment new venture capital is usually deployed to unseat the incumbents, and it's clear where that money is not going in the auto industry. 'Of the many billions in venture capital out there, none is going into replicate the [internal combustion engine] business model that exists now,' he says bluntly. And that's why, despite worrying signs that consumer demand has slowed, Mercedes-Benz remains committed to EVs. 'It's better to play offense than defense,' Källenius says. Sitting back and waiting and watching would conserve capital, he admits, implicitly acknowledging the vast sums Mercedes-Benz is spending on the development of EVs that, so far, aren't selling in large numbers and generating large profits. But that strategy, he says would put the company in danger of missing the tipping point when electricity does become the mainstream automotive powertrain. Källenius agrees the journey to that tipping point is taking longer than everyone expected but points out that it took a while before the iPhone took off and crushed the BlackBerry. 'Now, I'm acutely aware the car and the industrial footprint of the auto industry is not the same as that of the mobile phone industry,' he says. 'But if and when the tipping point happens and you're not there, that could be [an existential threat] for a company.' As mainstream automakers began to embrace the technology, Mercedes-Benz bullishly announced the company would be building mainly EVs by 2030. Ola Källenius tapped the brakes on that statement in an interview earlier this year, saying it meant the company would not be investing in new internal combustion engine-based vehicle architectures beyond 2025. 'We have not announced the date when the last internal combustion engine Mercedes-Benz will go away,' he said, 'but we have put our capital allocation and engineering resource into preparing the company for a full EV lineup.' In July, however, Källenius announced Mercedes-Benz planned to spend about $15 billion on research and development to ensure its internal combustion engines would meet ever tightening emissions regulations well into the 2030s. 'An overhaul of the combustion portfolio was always part of the plan,' he insists. 'On the vehicle side, there's a benefit to be an incumbent. The whole infrastructure is there, so we're able to create flexibility in our product offering well into the 2030s, because we don't know when the tipping point [to EVs] will come.' Källenius admits that building internal combustion engine vehicles alongside EVs well into the 2030s means Mercedes-Benz will be a much more complex business than the switch to pure EVs production promised. But he says sticking with internal combustion engines will also generate a contribution margin on a fundamentally sound combustion business also for longer, and that will ultimately help Mercedes-Benz profitably make the transition to EVs. 'We think that we can manage through this incredibly intense technological and product development cycle,' Källenius says. 'Our balance sheet shows we have the liquidity and the firepower to do this. We know what the destination is. The destination is a zero emission, intelligent digital vehicle. But if the tail of the internal combustion engine vehicle is longer [than we expected], then we will take advantage of that.' While this transition is underway, does Mercedes-Benz, along with other western automakers, need protection from the growing wave of low-cost Chinese EVs entering their markets? An unabashed free trader, Källenius pushes back hard on the idea that heavy tariffs on Chinese imports will give western automakers breathing space to get their businesses into shape to compete. 'I the understand political reasons, and I think we should do whatever we can within WTO rules to create level playing fields in the main economic regions, but an escalating tariff based potential trade war is the wrong direction,' he says. 'But even if it could protect some players in the short term, that is dangerous in the long term. The heat of competition has always been the best way to create innovation.' What about problems with the Chinese market itself, where fierce competition between dozens of domestic automakers combined with slowing demand as the economy there has cooled has impacted both sales and profitability? Källenius likens the current situation in China to that in the U.S. and Europe, where hundreds of automakers existed at the beginning of the 20th century, but very few survived to see the 21st. 'I believe there will be some kind of consolidation in China,' he says. 'How long that will take is difficult to say, but that will keep an enormous competitive pressure and intensity in that biggest car market in the world for the foreseeable future.' Photos by MotorTrend
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Stellantis unveils 'eyes-off' driving system
Stellantis has introduced its latest step towards autonomous driving: STLA AutoDrive 1.0, a hands-free, eyes-off driving system that meets SAE Level 3 automation standards. The system, however, is currently limited to speeds of 37 mph and is not yet scheduled for commercial release. The STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road in specific conditions. Designed primarily for urban environments with heavy traffic, the system can manage steering, acceleration, braking, and following distance. It is also designed to function in low-light and poor weather conditions. While the initial version is limited to 37 mph, Stellantis has confirmed that it is working to increase the system's speed threshold to 59 mph and potentially add off-road capabilities in the future. However, there is no firm timeline for when these improvements will be available to Mercedes-Benz is the only automaker in the U.S. with an approved Level 3 system. Its Drive Pilot, available in the S-Class and EQS sedans, is legal for use only in Nevada and California. BMW and Honda have introduced similar systems in Germany and Japan, respectively, but they have not announced U.S. launch plans. Should Stellantis choose to release STLA AutoDrive, it could become the second Level 3 autonomous system available in the U.S. However, regulatory approvals are required on a state-by-state basis, which could delay its widespread availability. Some industry experts speculate that Stellantis may opt for a European launch first, where regulatory hurdles might be simpler to navigate, given its ownership of brands like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Peugeot, and AutoDrive uses an advanced suite of sensors to map its surroundings and operate autonomously under limited conditions. While Stellantis has not disclosed the exact sensor combination, similar systems typically incorporate cameras, radar, lidar, and ultrasonics. Unlike Tesla, which relies solely on cameras, Stellantis has developed a self-cleaning feature for its sensors to maintain functionality in dusty or adverse environments. When activated, the system can manage lane positioning, adjust speed, and respond to traffic conditions. However, at speeds above 37 mph, it reverts to a Level 2 system—meaning hands-free operation remains possible, but drivers must keep their eyes on the road, similar to Ford's BlueCruise and GM's Super a statement to Car and Driver, a Stellantis spokesperson said that 'level 3 technology is fully developed and ready for deployment, but the current market for autonomous driving at this level remains very limited. We have made the strategic decision not to launch it at this time. Once the market matures and conditions become more favorable, we will evaluate the path to commercialization.' For now, STLA AutoDrive 1.0 remains a glimpse into Stellantis' future ambitions rather than an imminent reality for consumers. If the market for Level 3 autonomy expands and regulatory conditions align, it's possible that the technology could find its way into future Stellantis models. Until then, the company remains in a holding pattern, waiting for the right moment to bring its autonomous driving ambitions to life. Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
