A newcomer turned powerhouse in FIR technology for the automotive industry.
We, as humans, naturally process, perceive, and understand our surroundings as we continually peer through our individual windows to the world. Mirroring nature, autonomous cars need to perceptually keep pace, in order to safely navigate the intricacies of urban life. Established 3 years ago, pioneer in far-infrared (FIR) technology AdaSky has been striving to do just that by focusing on FIR solutions for the automotive industry, especially for the autonomous driving market.
“I’m very proud to say that after 3 years we were able to introduce the Viper, which is our sensor with a unique technology on the one hand, and with a lot of market opportunity on the other hand,” AdaSky CEO Yakov Shaharabani says.
Viper is an FIR perception solution that combines computer vision algorithms with an FIR high-resolution thermal camera, providing state-of-the-art image processing and quality for 24/7 autonomous driving. The solution passively gathers FIR signals through detecting an object’s radiated thermal energy. The data is then processed and analyzed to provide vehicles with an added layer of information.
The system can thrive where comparable systems falter, like tough and challenging environmental conditions, which is a key advantage among competitors, according to Shaharabani. Examples include a quick change in lighting situations (entering or exiting a tunnel, direct sun, sunrise and sunset, etc.) and adverse weather conditions.
“Another, I would say, use-case is when you have a lot of details coming in the scenery, for example open areas. In those kind of detailed environments, we were able to not only detect, but also classify the main objects that are relevant,” explains Shaharabani. “In some cases we were able to deduce the intentions of some of the objects, for example, determining if a pedestrian is heading toward the road or just walking nearby. Intentions are important as well, and we can spot it in some cases.”
Serving as an automotive FIR authority, AdaSky currently acts as an advisor to several OEMs, and aims to be an enabler of technology for Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 autonomy, all while upholding a company identity centered around safety.
“It is our mission. Our slogan is: ‘We are driven to save lives.’ We think that with our technology, autonomous cars will be, by far, safer. We’ll introduce a safe solution and reduce the amount of accidents and causalities,” Shaharabani says.
Lives are at stake, a fact that Shaharabani brought to light by mentioning the recent Uber and Tesla casualties, further stressing the need “to provide not just a full solution, but a safe solution.”
“I think that as we move over to Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5, policymakers will make their statements about safety and regulations, which I’m sure will offer the need to have our unique technology implemented,” in the impending initiatives that will introduce self-driving vehicle solutions, Shaharabani predicts.
The autonomous driving revolution is at our doorstep, and Shaharabani believes its adoption will occur sooner rather than later. To prepare, AdaSky has its sights set on expansion. Currently the company has more than 40 engineers and experts in FIR technology and the automotive industry. With a recent $20 million investment from lead investor, Sungwoo Hitech Co., Ltd, a prominent global automotive supplier, the company will be able to extend its influence on a global scale.
“We are planning to expand our R&D to add a significant number of more engineers to our team. And at the same time, we plan to quicken production and expand our presence in territories where leading OEMs are initiating their autonomous driving projects,” says Shaharabani. “We are looking for partnership all over the globe because we know and feel quite confident that we’re leading the FIR technology automotive market currently. Therefore, we’d like to expand globally and look for partnerships in all relevant areas. I believe we will be able to play a significant role in the coming revolution of autonomous driving.”