Driverless car technology developer Mobileye has introduced a new vision-only system that is designed to determine the appropriate speed limit. This system, known as Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA), not only reads numbers on speed signs but can also interpret illustrated signs, such as those that depict children at play. It then communicates the necessary speed adjustments to vehicles.
The ISA system has been certified by 27 European Union (EU) countries, as well as Israel, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. Its release comes as the EU is implementing new General Safety Regulation (GSR) standards that require all new vehicles to include live speed limit sensors.
Currently, many cars on the road rely on GPS location and available data to display the current speed limit on the instrument cluster. Some advanced vehicles utilize cameras to read speed limit signs and automatically adjust cruise control speed to match. However, the systems developed by Mobileye and Tesla go beyond these capabilities and aim to make vehicles fully driverless. Tesla had previously used Mobileye chips for its Autopilot system but severed ties with the company after an accident in which Mobileye’s technology failed to differentiate between a truck and the sky behind it. While these technologies already include speed limit sign reading and active response systems, they are too expensive to be widely incorporated into existing vehicles.
Mobileye’s ISA system, built on its advanced EyeQ platform, consists of specialized software that enables speed-related decision-making. It can be installed by automakers that already utilize some of Mobileye’s chips, such as the EyeQ4 and EyeQ6.
The ISA technology is capable of determining the relevance of certain road signs to speed, identifying sign signatures from current and future signs, reading text on signs indicating city entrances, and making decisions based on road type, even without signs.
Mobileye claims to have recorded 400 petabytes of worldwide driving footage data, which has been essential in developing the ISA system. The company asserts that its vision-only system is more effective and affordable than the traditional map-based systems used today.
Mobileye states that a major global auto group plans to integrate the ISA system into two vehicle brands, with availability in select models later this year in Europe. Additionally, the system is scheduled to be released in vehicles from three other automakers starting in 2024.
Meanwhile, Mobileye’s Level 4 autonomous system is undergoing testing in Austin by Volkswagen using its ID Buzz electric vans.
In conclusion, Mobileye’s new ISA system represents an advancement in driverless car technology by specifically addressing speed limit determination. Its certification by numerous EU countries and its compatibility with existing Mobileye chips make it an attractive option for automakers. With its vision-only approach and extensive driving footage data, Mobileye aims to offer a more effective and affordable system compared to traditional map-based solutions.
