Tag: Level 4

Trimble joins with Exyn on autonomous surveying solution

Trimble and Exyn Technologies are developing multi-platform robotic autonomy for complex, GPS-denied environments. (Photo: Trimble)

Trimble and Exyn Technologies are working on a proof of concept for a fully autonomous surveying solution for construction.

The solution will integrate the Boston Dynamics Spot robot, the ExynPak powered by ExynAI, and the Trimble X7 total station. It will enable fully autonomous missions inside complex and dynamic construction environments, which can result in consistent and precise reality capture for production and quality-control workflows.

Autonomous robots powered by ExynAI can sense and avoid obstacles, dynamically adapting to the complexity of construction environments. To ensure safety and efficiency, the ExynPak integrates with a robot, supporting Level 4 of autonomous exploration missions without requiring the robot to “learn” about its environment beforehand.

A surveyor can define a 3D volume for a mission, and then the integrated robotic solution handles the complexities of self-navigation without needing a map, GPS or wireless infrastructure.

The integration of the Trimble X7 provides high-speed, high-accuracy 3D laser scanning to capture the state of the environment. The captured data can be uploaded to the Trimble Connect collaboration platform and shared with project stakeholders for further analysis, including a comparison to building information models (BIM) and previous scans to monitor quality and progress. The result is a detailed and accurate map collected with minimal human intervention and risk.

Exyn and Trimble will be demonstrating their technology at the Trimble Dimensions+ Conference Nov. 7-9 in Las Vegas.

November 7, 2022
DeepRoute.ai completes L4 driverless test in busy Shenzhen, China
The company tested Driver 2.0, a Level 4 production-ready autonomous driving solution

New video highlights navigating heavy traffic safely and efficiently

Photo: DeepRoute.ai

DeepRoute.ai, an international autonomous driving technology company, has announced the results of its latest fully driverless test of its Driver 2.0 Level 4 production-ready autonomous driving solution.

DeepRoute.ai released a video exhibiting a driverless vehicle retrofitted with the solution on Central Business District roads in Shenzhen, demonstrating its advanced capacity in complex and challenging traffic environments. It was the first legal driverless test in China — Shenzhen unveiled China’s first regulation on intelligent connected vehicles on July 6.

The fully driverless vehicle drove just under 14 miles in one hour, navigating through significant traffic and narrow lanes safely and efficiently. The vehicle:
- intelligently maneuvered around double-parked cars and counterflow e-scooters and pedestrians
- negotiated with oncoming vehicles to calculate the right timing and trajectory to pass busy intersections
- conducted multiple lane changes and unprotected left turns.
“The recent legislation permitting driverless robotaxis in Shenzhen is the first of its kind, a major milestone in advancing autonomous driving technology to wider and faster adoption,” said Maxwell Zhou, CEO of DeepRoute.ai. “As we advance our mission for commercial deployment of autonomous driving vehicles, we will collaborate with automakers to refine our L4 solution to make it as safe and efficient as possible.”

DeepRoute.ai has made significant improvements to achieve driverless capability, with both software and hardware meeting auto-grade standards. The safety mechanism was also upgraded to guarantee driverless safety on the road. In the case of long tail scenarios, the system will alert the remote monitoring center to intervene or take other safety measures.

The Driver 2.0 System

Driver 2.0 includes five solid-state lidar units, eight cameras and other sensors, and a computing platform integrated with its proprietary inference engine. The perception algorithm with sensor fusion can achieve precise object detection up to nearly 220 yards. The planning and control algorithm based on game theory can choose optimal routes and make decisions based on real-time situations when negotiating with oncoming vehicles and other road agents.

With its deep learning approach, the inference engine optimizes compute resources, allowing the algorithm to run on its low-cost and power-efficient computing platform effectively and stably. As a result, Driver 2.0 can be priced at $3,000 for automakers in mass production and the algorithm can work with 2 to 5 solid-state lidars for automakers’ customization needs.

The latest legal and regulatory framework is aligned with autonomous-driving industry developments and is considered the prelude to mass production and commercialization of autonomous-driving vehicles. DeepRoute.ai is working with automakers to mass produce consumer vehicles integrated with Driver 2.0, expected to be available for consumer purchase in 2025. It is also being integrated into robotaxi operations.

Photo: DeepRoute.ai
August 15, 2022
DeepRoute.ai unveils autonomous ‘Robotaxi’ fleet

DeepRoute.ai, an international autonomous driving technology company, is offering a Robotaxi fleet equipped with its Level 4 autonomous driving solution, Driver 2.0.

Level 4 autonomous vehicles do not require human interaction in most circumstances, but a driver still has the option to manually override.

Image: GPS World

According to DeepRoute.ai, its advancement in autonomous technology previews the future of Level 4 consumer vehicles.

Composed of 30 SAIC Motor Marvel R SUVs, the Robotaxi fleet will deploy in Shenzhen, China, in the coming months.

Mass Production. Driver 2.0 was engineered for mass production and adoption by automakers. DeepRoute.ai projects mass production of Level 4 autonomous vehicles equipped with Driver 2.0 will begin in 2024 and be available for consumer purchase afterward.

DeepRoute.ai is collaborating with global automakers to achieve series production of Level 4 autonomous driving vehicles and expects to further reduce the current $10,000 cost of the solution by approximately 70%.

Driver 2.0 sensor configurations can be customized to meet automakers’ needs, equipped with two to five solid-state lidar scanners and eight cameras. Its proprietary low-energy consumption computing platform and inference engine combined with Nvidia Drive Orin systems-on-chip will allow the company to meet automotive-grade standards for series production more quickly, the company said.

DeepRoute.ai’s camera-based redundancy perception system guarantees autonomous capabilities should other sensors malfunction, in addition to 5G remote control and network safety redundancy fused into the safety-critical systems.

Level 4 self-driving can first be achieved in areas supported by rich data. Level 4 consumer vehicles on the road operating in a hybrid model will continuously gather additional data, laying the foundation for the scalability of Level 4 autonomous driving in other cities, the company said.

DeepRoute.ai plans to accelerate Level 4 commercialization through technology iterations in data collection and analysis, algorithm improvement, simulation and road testing.

Photo: DeepRoute.ai

With a 360-degree view and 200-meter perception range, the fleet offers high-performance Level 4 autonomous driving in an urban environment. The sensors are designed to be less noticeable and part of the auto’s chassis design.

The entirety of DeepRoute.ai’s Robotaxi fleet across Wuhan, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Fremont, California, now encompasses a variety of models: GAC Aion, SAIC Motor Marvel R, Lincoln MKZ, Geely, Dongfeng Motors E70 and Ford Mondeo.

April 22, 2022