TOKYO, August 9, 2023 – TIER IV, a pioneer in open-source autonomous driving (AD) technology, has successfully partnered with Axell Corporation, a Japan-based computer hardware company, to conduct a collaborative research project aimed at creating a new application-specific system-on-chip (SoC) and software platform for autonomous vehicles. The project culminated in a demonstration, showcasing the power and performance advantages of the Autoware Accelerators. These hardware accelerators are custom-designed specifically for the Autoware architecture.
These collaborative research efforts were funded by the "Innovative AI Chip and Next-Generation Computing Technology Development" project, sponsored by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
The new SoC has been specifically optimized to integrate with Autoware, a widely acclaimed open-source software for autonomous driving championed by TIER IV. Designed to execute a diverse range of AD algorithms with exceptional efficiency, the SoC sets the stage for the development of a complete Robo-Taxi system with an estimated power consumption of less than 150W (utilizing the latest state-of-the art semiconductor process). Additionally, the system features hardware accelerators that expertly manage high-load sensor data processing, achieving close to a tenfold reduction in power consumption compared to existing environments. To ensure seamless execution of control system processing, a dedicated real-time operating system (RTOS) is seamlessly integrated with many-core processors, effectively mitigating fluctuations in execution time. With its focus on AI edge computing, the SoC aims to provide more efficient and reliable AD functions.
R&D process culminating in the demonstration of a specialized SoC prototype for autonomous driving.
Demonstration test using an Autonomous Driving cab equipped with this SoC
*1 This article is based on results obtained from a project, JPNP16007, commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
*2 All company names, product names, service names, trade names, and registered trademarks mentioned here are the property of their respective owners.
About Axell
Axell is an advanced technology company with a highly integrated development structure of algorithms, R&D and software / hardware products. Our mission is to contribute to the future of business transformation through our cutting-edge technologies such as LSI R&D, machine learning / AI, cryptography and blockchain.
https://www.axell.co.jp/en/
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