$FRSX Self-Driving Car Companies Face Choice Between Active and Passive Sensors

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Self-driving cars are close to becoming a reality. When this happens, the sensors they use will be particularly important. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) (FRSX Profile) is developing a sensor system that uses multiple visual light and infrared cameras in stereoscopic technology to interpret its surroundings. Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is installing a wide range of sensors in its cars, combining their different inputs to create a fuller picture. Ford (NYSE: F) is focusing on other aspects of the future of driving, with its app-controlled Chariot commuting system. General Motors (NYSE: GM) is about to enter mass production of a car that uses LIDAR to test its surroundings. Meanwhile Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA), the business most famous for work in this area, is using pattern recognition to help its cars interpret the input from their sensors.

The Variety of Sensors

Autonomous vehicles – more often referred to as self-driving cars and trucks – are close to becoming a regular feature of the world’s streets. Several companies, automotive insiders, and tech innovators like Valeo and Bosch are working on the technology needed to make them a reality. From complex driving software to steering equipment, an industry is growing in the cars of the future.

Among the most important features of these cars are the sensors they use to read the world around them. These fall into two groups – passive and active. Active sensors project energy into the world and then use the reflections they get back to understand what’s there. Passive sensors using energy that’s already in the world, particularly light or heat. There are a variety of sensors of each type being tested, and a variety of different technologies that could come out on top. But the most important distinction may be whether the sensors we get are active or passive.

A Focus on Sensors

Specialist companies have started to emerge in this field, focusing entirely on car sensor technology. One of these is Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX).

Founded in 2015, Foresight is committed to designing, developing, and commercializing a range of sensor systems and associate technologies for use in autonomous vehicles. This includes stereo and quad camera systems and the software that will allow a car to interpret the signals from those cameras. These can be used to help avoid accidents between cars and will eventually allow self-driving cars to see and act on objects in their surrounding environment.

The company has already drawn attention with its advanced technology. It has acquired leading investors from the local automotive industry and reached a market cap of $100 million as of January 2018. It was featured in CNBC’s article on “What Driving Will Look Like in 2028.” Resources to continue its ambitious research and development program was assured by the recent announcement of a merger agreement with Tamda Ltd. (http://nnw.fm/b7nNy).

Foresight’s leading product is the QuadSight system. This drew positive press attention when it was displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.

One of the distinctive features of the QuadSight system is that it doesn’t rely on pattern recognition to identify when there is an obstacle in its way. Any object can be detected, regardless of its material, color or shape. This gives the system an advantage over competitors whose sensors have to be programmed or trained to identify specific hazards.

The Power of Passive Sensors

QuadSightis based on passive rather than active sensors. Its cameras don’t project any sort of energy into the world, but instead captures objects using the light that’s already available by its visible light cameras and captures thermal radiation of objects by its infrared cameras. Passive sensors have two major benefits over active sensors.

Mutual interference

One of the most serious problems with active sensors is interference. As a growing number of autonomous vehicles hit the streets, the number of sensors increases. As long as they use active sensors, this means an increase is the amount of energy being put out into the world by these sensors. As a result, they can end up interfering with each other, and this problem is only going to grow while people uses active sensors. This could lead to objects with low radar cross sections going undetected.

Health hazards

Although active sensors are certified according to safety regulations (FCC / FDA / IEC etc.) and are thus safe, it is important to keep in mind that each device is certified as a separate unit. At this stage, it is too early to measure the effects of energy exposure emitted by hundreds of vehicles and road infrastructure on road users. Active sensors (especially radars) might pose a health hazard.

QuadSight’s sensors don’t project any sort of energy. As such, they are unaffected by the interference problem and don’t contribute to it. This makes QuadSight a more reliable option than many others available.

“At Foresight, we believe that a car’s vision system should be nothing less than perfect,” said Haim Siboni, CEO of Foresight. “Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

Autonomous Vehicle Market Heats Up

As the potential of driverless cars grows, a number of companies are making advances in the sector.

Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is exploring the potential of automated vehicles through its subsidiary Waymo. It is experimenting with a wide range of sensors on its vehicles, including active sensors such as sonar, lasers, lidar, and radar, and stereo cameras on the passive side. One of the distinct features of Waymo’s cars is the way that these different sensors are used together, each contributing something different to the car’s understanding of the world around it.

Ford (NYSE: F) is approaching the future of driving from a different angle. Its acquisition of Chariot has put it in the business of providing transport to busy commuters, who can book rides in Chariot vehicles. An app lets its users book a ride with Chariot and propose new routes for the vehicles. Such apps could eventually be used to provide access to driverless transport, with vehicles following pre-programmed routes to pick up travelers without cars of their own.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) has announced that it will begin mass production of its first autonomous vehicle next year. The design of the Cruise AV was acquired by the company in 2016 when it absorbed startup Cruise Automation. The car will have a dedicated production line of its own at a facility at Orion Township, integrating LIDAR sensors produced at its Brownstone plant. When a powerhouse like GM starts mass production of self-driving cars, it’s a sure sign that these vehicles will soon be a major feature of our streets.

The company most recognized for its work in self-driving cars is Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA). Like other companies, it is using a range of different sensors, including visible light cameras. The information is processed using pattern recognition software, which looks for familiar shapes and colors to identify hazards. Though it has suffered some setbacks due to accidents, Tesla is still leading the way in both developing and publicizing the potential of self-driving vehicles.

Self-driving cars will soon be an important part of the transport landscape. As that happens, different types of sensors will hit the streets, giving people a chance to see which work best.

For more information on Foresight Autonomous Holdings, visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.