Post Event Coverage: Connected Vehicle 2020 | Bengaluru, India

Panel Discussion:  Software Driven Innovation for ADAS & Autonomous Future

Panelists:

• Vinay Piparsania, Consulting Director, Counterpoint Research (Moderator)
• Sameer Athanikar,  Senior Manager, Head of Product and Innovation,  Elektrobit
• Kalaivanan, DDG & Scientist-G, Southern Region, Bureau of Indian Standards
• Tarun Aggarwal, Executive Vice President, Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Summary of discussions amongst panelists:

ADAS technologies making self-driving possible

• Recent developments in autonomous vehicles (AVs) globally has been encouraging, with numerous tests proving out safety and reliability enhancements
• Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) - enabled through radar scanners, sensors, and cameras, integrated into the vehicles central electronic control modules – are proving to be the fundamental blocks driving progress towards autonomous vehicles.
• Safety remains the critical and overriding component of ADAS technology.
• Current ADAS systems enable the vehicle to perceive its surroundings, interpret obstacles and critical situations, assisting or alerting the driver in performing maneuvers

When can we expect rollout of autonomous cars, if at all?

• To make the vision of AVs a reality, OEMs, suppliers, and start-ups are already applying cutting-edge technology to solve some of the biggest problems in computing, engineering, software development, and algorithm design today.
• However, regulatory and legal hurdles, rather than technological issues, are proving to be the biggest barriers for self-driving technology and will hold back autonomous cars from becoming public anytime soon
• As technology evolves and becomes more cost-effective, design engineers are updating autonomous systems to include new and different types of sensors

A need for OEMS and suppliers to collaborate

• Adding further to the complexity is the role of edge and cloud computing that will eventually play as 5G is rolled out, offering the bandwidth needed for the large data streams coming off these sensor systems
• Automotive companies can no longer be experts in just mechanical and electrical engineering. They now need to be experts in radar, artificial intelligence, software development, motor controls, battery chemistry, big data analysis, machine learning, and the list goes on.
• The automotive industry, therefore, needs to collaborate across automotive suppliers, OEMs, integrators, technology developers, governments, and test vendors alike, to truly understand and propose solution

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) formulating standards

• In India, the subject of ADAS Standards are administered by the Intelligent Transport Systems Sectional Committee (TED 28) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Scope of the TED 28 committee includes:
  • Standardization of information, communication and control systems in the field of urban and rural surface transportation, including autonomous, connected, intermodal and multimodal aspects thereof, traveler information, traffic management, public transport, commercial transport, emergency services, and commercial services in the intelligent transport systems, including associated security issues.
  • The committee has so far published 21 Standards and is working on at least another 10 subjects. The list of standards can be accessed from the BIS Website.
  • Currently, the committee has 13 active panels working towards standardization, some of which are Bus ITS, Traffic Management, Traveller Information Systems, RFID Application for School Buses, E-ticketing, Cyber Security and Functional safety of Road Vehicles, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, etc. One of these is also Advance Driver Assistance Systems.
  • Any subject experts in the country wishing to come forward and contribute towards the formulation of standards are welcome to submit their proposals, the pro forma of which is available on the BIS Website under the Standardization Tab.

Conclusion

While AV technology is developing rapidly, the automotive industry is still a long way from manufacturing self-driving vehicles anytime soon with challenges remaining in consumer awareness, standardization, economics, regulations/compliances, privacy, safety, and security.

(For details on a quantitative outlook for Autonomous, Connected and Electric vehicles cars,  do enquire about Counterpoint Research Smart Automotive Tracker Services with press(at)counterpointresearch.com)