Mobileye‘s mapping program for self-driving vehicles will begin generating income long before fully autonomous vehicles hit the roads, its chairman informed Reuters, as automakers can utilize the innovation for a range of semi-autonomous driving features.
Amnon Shashua, head of the Israeli business that is being purchased by Intel Corp for $15.3 billion, said Mobileye anticipated to reveal deals with automakers by the end of 2017 for its high definition maps, generating revenues for both the company and its map-making partners.
Totally self-driving vehicles are not expected up until at least 2021, however automakers are already using a range of semi-autonomous driver support systems, such as Tesla’s Auto-pilot system. Mobileye believes its mapping innovation will be needed as these systems end up being advanced.
“We can allow hands-free driving to levels that are much higher than with any sensor (alone),” Shashua informed Reuters, including semi-autonomous systems still required chauffeurs to stay alert.
The Israeli business likewise believes its mapping technology will be cheaper and more extensive than competing systems because of the way it is produced.
Whereas standard HD mapping requires dedicated cars with specialized devices and employed drivers, Mobileye’s RoadBook uses hardware in cars to “crowdsource” data.
Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW have signed up to share data from Mobileye’s camera-equipped advanced driver support systems to generate HD maps for self-driving vehicles, and Shashua stated 4 more producers are in talks about signing up with the program.
“We want to have most of these 4 signed by the end of this year,” he stated. “Just auto manufacturers can contribute … due to the fact that they have the vehicles. This is something that really separates the automobile industry from the tech players.”
The prospect of self-driving automobiles has attracted Silicon Valley giants Google and Apple along with automakers, with Goldman Sachs approximating the marketplace for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous automobiles might grow to $96 billion in 2025 from $3 billion in 2015.
