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Imagey claims that its software programme enables autonomous buses to navigate complex scenarios akin to roundabouts. Supply: Imagry
New advancements enable autonomous vehicles, including buses, to draw upon previous route data, while cutting-edge expertise ensures enhanced real-time situational awareness. Imagry’s “HD-mapless driving” software suite empowers vehicles to respond to dynamic situations and circumstances with a level of intelligence reminiscent of human driving behavior.
The company’s AI Imaginative and Prescient 360 solution eliminates the need for external sensor infrastructure. The bio-inspired neural network and hardware-agnostic methods claim to facilitate seamless execution of stage 3/4 operations without requiring a mapping process.
According to CEO of Imagry, the company has focused on developing expertise in just two specific areas. We have successfully marketed our innovative motion-planning stack to top-tier suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) since. “We have signed a 10-year contract with Continental and are jointly developing a software-defined car platform.”
“We’ve started collaborating with transportation operators to develop and offer autonomous bus services,” “In Turkey, France, Spain, and soon Japan, our efforts are focused on upgrading existing electrical buses to operate autonomously.”
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Trains are trained in a simulated environment with human oversight.
Imagry was founded in 2015, specializing in providing high-quality laptops to the retail market. In 2018, the company redirected its primary focus to the development of autonomous driving technologies. The company currently employs approximately 120 staff members across its locations in San Jose, California, and Haifa, Israel.
Imagry’s expertise lies in mimicking human intuition by leveraging 3D visual perception for notion and movement planning, rather than relying on rule-based coding or map-based navigation.
According to Ofir, most professionals in the gaming industry employ high-definition maps featuring a resolution of 5 centimeters per pixel, which enables their vehicles to accurately detect road markings, traffic lights, and indicator signals. “Our system leverages the power of self-directed learning through supervised study.” It accurately renders real-time directions while driving. Like a human explorer, it embarks on the journey without knowing exactly what hidden treasures or unexpected challenges lie ahead.
Imagry leverages its proprietary AI-driven processing architecture to efficiently handle vast amounts of information, streamlining data intake, filtering, and analysis. This enables seamless integration with diverse sensor modalities, ensuring robustness in navigating and detecting obstacles while avoiding potential hazards.
“We developed a custom-built annotation tool to accelerate the coaching process while reducing costs,” Ofir explained. The information is collected, but it doesn’t remain within the cloud. The human supervisor instructs the autonomous vehicle where to go, using a tone that’s reminiscent of a parent guiding a young child. “We deliver seamless over-the-air software updates to our customers.”
“The world doesn’t belong solely to HD maps,” he noted. “It’s about developing trust in software that can handle notion and movement planning.”
Without centralised computing, Ofir noted that a car drove independently through Arizona on a spontaneous route, reliant solely on its onboard systems for navigation and communication. It’s on-board and computes acknowledged building zones, skateboarders, a motorcycle lane, and cease indicators.
“Imagry stands out with its unique ability to explore and navigate through novel environments,” declared Ofir. We will address the nuances of both right-hand and left-hand driving, which are comparable to the experiences we’ve had in Tokyo, where we have been driving for a year now.
The bus knows when to cease for passengers through a combination of sensors and systems. Typically, buses are equipped with electronic devices that monitor traffic conditions, pedestrian movements, and passenger demands. These sensors alert the driver or the vehicle’s computer system when it is necessary to stop for pick-ups or drop-offs.
The service will halt at each stop upon demand via a designated button at the stop, allowing seniors to easily access the platform without relying on phone apps, as explained by Ofir. Imagry’s innovative system also accommodates individuals with disabilities by providing a unique “kneeling” feature.
Buses, with their high passenger capacity and repetitive routes, present an ideal testing ground for autonomous technology.
Imagry has chosen to focus on urban environments rather than highway applications. According to Ofir, buses have a simpler path to achieving Stage 4 autonomy.
“Autonomous buses offer a unique combination of convenience and ease of use, exceeding the benefits of hailing a ride or driving a personal vehicle,” said Ofir. Drivers navigate specific courses while adhering to a strictly enforced speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour), as opposed to the standard rate of 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour). With its straightforward nature and scalability benefits.
“The integration timeline is significantly shorter – just two to three months compared to the four-year design cycle,” he explained. Once we transfer the project to the transport operator, we expect to achieve Level 4 in just 18 months. Following that milestone, the operator will acquire and deploy an additional 40 buses.
While progress on autonomous buses has been notable, with 22 international locations piloting the technology, his fame is a direct result.
“We’ve already taken on significant medical projects,” Ofir pointed out. Transport operators typically opt for M3-class buses accommodating 30-45 passengers due to the cost of ownership, allowing them to utilize their existing expertise in operating these vehicles.
Imagry tendered for the development of autonomous bus systems in Austria, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, and Japan during the months of September and October.
Streamlining software programs can significantly reduce operational costs.
By adopting a vehicle-agnostic approach, Ofir noted that Imagry sidesteps the limitations of specific and expensive hardware. Fifteen chip manufacturers are developing technologies capable of supporting Stage 3 autonomy, according to him.
Manufacturers require the flexibility to effectively deploy diverse hardware configurations across various vehicles.
“A $30,000 vehicle differs significantly from a $60,000 one, featuring distinct hardware configurations and procurement processes for components like cameras or computing systems,” said Ofir. In a highly competitive landscape, the Autonomy Stack’s premium pricing strategy remains steadfast at $100,000 per vehicle. Our solution costs just $3,000 and leverages a robust ecosystem of top-tier chipmakers – including Ambarella, NVIDIA, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Intel.
“With our inaugural industrial proof of concept successfully implemented at Continental’s Frankfurt, Germany facility, we refined our automotive solution through careful calibration and localization efforts.” What’s going on here?
Notably, operators in Japan are grappling with driver shortages, which could yield significant cost savings – up to $70,000 per bus annually, according to industry estimates. By 2025, Japan aims to have 50 locations nationwide equipped with self-driving buses, while increasing this number to 100 by 2027.
Autonomous buses offer unparalleled reliability, operating continuously without interruption or vulnerability to illness or industrial action.
“We’re focused on developing fully autonomous parking capabilities, as well as advanced traffic management systems that aid in congestion relief and assist novice or elderly drivers in following traffic signs, a development that could revolutionize the insurance industry.” “Our buses are adept at navigating complex routes, including roundabouts, narrow streets, and busy intersections, operating seamlessly regardless of location.”
Phases of autonomous bus deployment
Despite the technological know-how hurdles, securing regulatory approval for self-driving buses ultimately hinges on persistence, according to Ofir.
“With its expertise having since transitioned to the robotaxi sector, Imagry played a pivotal role in drafting Israel’s regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, achieving this milestone in 2022,” Ofir recollected. “We are collaborating with legislative bodies in France and Germany to initiate pilot projects in three target markets by 2025.”
Testing even Stage 3 autonomy can take several years, depending on the region. The company’s roadmap for autonomous bus deployment was carefully outlined into distinct stages.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to develop an electrical bus network for that specific market, followed by a controlled activation of the system on a designated public thoroughfare. “Inside the United States, we’ve successfully integrated our comprehensive software suite and management infrastructure into a vehicle, with full-scale testing of autonomous driving capabilities underway,”
- NCAP rigorously tests vehicle performance in 99 diverse scenarios, including merging and stopping situations. Ofir noted, “We’re the first company to successfully conduct this trial run using a self-driving bus.” “Japan also imposes extremely rigorous security protocols.”
- Enabling passengers to move around safely on buses equipped with a trained and licensed security driver in place.
- Drive autonomously for approximately 100,000 kilometers or 62,137 miles along a predetermined route using a fleet of buses. Once a report is submitted to the department of motor vehicles or an equivalent agency, the bus operator can potentially eliminate the need for a human driver.
The development of silicon, sensors, and other technologies does not directly impact the timeline to achieving a certain level of income or obtaining approvals from the U.S. government? The nationwide freeway visitors security administration process can take years,” Ofir noted. By 2027, we anticipate a significant presence of passenger autos utilizing our software solution on streets across Europe, the United States, and Japan.
Imagry is set to launch Companions for Automated Automobile Training (CAAT) by January 2025, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards innovation.
