At their 2018 CES press conference, rather than push a particular new product, they focused on how Samsung’s devices fit into what it calls the “intelligence of things” — everything with smarts. And this year at CES is critical for the Korean company.
Samsung wants the world to know they manufacture more than phones and televisions. While Samsung has tried in the past to create an ecosystem of products that interact with each other, this year, the company is on a new path to streamline its software and services, making it easier for people to use their devices and make them want to stick with Samsung products.
Introduction of the DRVLINE platform
Samsung’s DRVLINE platform was developed as a first-of-its-kind Open, modular, scalable platform for autonomous vehicle applications. Samsung has basically positioned itself to be the “go-to” partner for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers in the autonomous driving market.
Many companies offer hardware and software autonomous driving platforms that force the end-user to adopt a particular technology as an all-or-nothing package. However, with DRVLINE, the software can be customized or enhanced and individual components and technologies can be swapped in and out as needed.
With DRVLINE, automotive companies will be able to collaborate and customise freely, instead of adopting a particular, forced technology. With the platform, it will be much simpler to integrate best-in-class technology into new vehicles, while also building a foundation for fleets of the future.
“The cars of tomorrow won’t just change how we get around, they’ll transform our streets and society. They’ll bring mobility to people who need it, make our roads safer, and revolutionize our communities,” said Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Samsung Electronics, and Chairman of the Board at HARMAN in a press release.
“Building an autonomous platform requires close collaboration across industry, as one company cannot deliver on this enormous opportunity alone. The challenge is simply too big and too complex. Through the DRVLINE platform, we’re inviting the best and brightest from the automotive industry to join us, and help shape the future of the car of tomorrow, today.”
What does DRVLINE offer?
Samsung and Harman are leveraging their global expertise in electronics with DRVLINE, with IoT and embedded systems, including in-car compute for Levels 3, 4, and 5 automation. It also includes a brand-new ADAS forward-facing camera system, created by Samsung and HARMAN, which is engineered to meet upcoming New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) standards. These include lane departure warning, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking.
“In a car, the human brain is constantly performing incredibly complex calculations while driving,” said John Absmeier, SVP of Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit at HARMAN and VP of Smart Machines for Samsung Electronics.
“How far is that lamppost? Is that pedestrian going to step into the street? How long until the yellow light turns red? The industry has made incredible advances in automation, yet in-car compute is still a long way from approximating the power of our brains. The DRVLINE platform with its open and high-level compute capability is a first major first step toward building an ecosystem to support full autonomy.”
But, there is more. Samsung and Harman have also unveiled their new Digital Cockpit platform. The platform offers an in-car screen that can display vital vehicle information and features. It also has a premium, multi-display layout with Android OS powering four displays.
The companies have also developed a 5G telematics solution in a modular design with a control unit that will allow for high-resolution streaming and cloud-based applications in vehicles.
A year of successes for Samsung
Samsung has had a year of historic firsts, including acquiring connected technologies company Harman for $8.0 billion. They also created a joint automotive Strategic Business Unit and established a $300 million Samsung Automotive Innovation Fund and went forward with a series of investments and partnerships designed to promote collaboration in the automotive sector.
And as part of Samsung’s new strategy of open innovation and collaboration, the company has developed a robust environment of partners across the industry, including software companies, TTTech, AImotive, Hella Aglaia, and Renovo Auto; In-Car Compute companies Graphcore, ThinCi, and Infineon; Communications companies Autotalks and Valens; and Sensor companies Quanergy, Tetravue, Oculii, and Innoviz.
