Novi-based Danlaw Inc. and NextDroid Inc. in Boston have joined forces to expand their advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle (AV) development and validation activities.
The rapid advancement and complexity of ADAS and AV features require data from numerous vehicle sensors. The existing validation methods tend to be expensive, not scalable, and centered around final validation, according to Danlaw and NextDroid.
This partnership, the companies said, has the tools and domain knowledge to change the ADAS validation mind-set by offering a proven ground truth platform for use throughout feature development and validation.
Danlaw specializes in embedded systems development and testing for embedded control units, vehicle network communications, infotainment, and telematics. Customers include automotive OEMs, electronics suppliers, fleets, and automotive insurance companies worldwide.
NextDroid is an intelligent machines start-up with core competencies in robotics and artificial intelligence. Its Veritas ground truth platform produces information needed by automakers to validate ADAS and AV components, features, and vehicle behavior in the real world. This information comes from a highly detailed, precise ground truth model of the world, against which data from the ADAS/AV system is compared and evaluated using customer-defined criteria.
“NextDroid’s Veritas platform will leverage Danlaw’s understanding of modern automotive OEM architectures to provide support and integration services across advanced heterogeneous sensors,” says Thierry Rolina, senior account manager at Danlaw.
Danlaw and NextDroid say the collaboration will provide automotive OEMs and their tier-one suppliers in the Detroit area with a turn-key ADAS and AV verification and validation capability that transfers quickly from vehicle to vehicle and validates a wide range of ADAS features, components, and software releases. Both companies say they believe that the use of this platform enables customers to bring features to market with greater safety, in less time, and much more cost-effectively than existing methods.
“Validation of ADAS and AV systems can be a huge drain on scarce, highly skilled engineering resources that are also needed to develop customer features,” says Martin Baker, a consultant at NextDroid. “Danlaw’s deep vehicle and customer knowledge combined with NextDroid’s end-to-end ground truthing, data logging, and data analysis give users a turnkey solution: an industry-leading validation platform with minimal drain on critical engineering resources.”
