AMD Drives Hitachi Astemo's AI-Powered Auto Safety

AMD announced yesterday that they are partnering with Hitachi Astemo to power their new stereo-format, forward-looking camera. This camera is designed for adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking, aiming to improve vision capabilities and enhance the safety of next-generation vehicles via AI object detection. 

The AMD Automotive XA Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC provides both stereo and monocular image processing in the camera, enabling it to detect objects over 120 degrees — a 3X wider angle than its previous-generation cameras — to enhance overall safety.

AMD's contribution with the Automotive XA Zynq™ UltraScale+™ multi-processor system-on-a-chip (MPSoC), which integrates both stereo and monocular image processing within the camera. As a result, the camera boasts an impressive 120-degree object detection range, a significant improvement over its predecessors, thereby strengthening overall safety.

Yousef Khalilollahi, Corporate Vice President of APAC Sales at AMD, acknowledged Hitachi Astemo's technological leadership in developing this stereo forward camera that leverages AMD's adaptive computing technology. Khalilollahi said, “Increased safety and accident avoidance are key tenets to automotive technologies, and AMD is proud to offer the foundational technology in these camera systems.”

Forward cameras are especially critical in these contexts as they enable reliable detection of objects and people. Hitachi Astemo's system, powered by AMD, marries stereo camera image-processing algorithms with artificial intelligence to deliver object detection capabilities that will also support video-based driver-assistance systems.

AMD's Xilinx Automotive (XA) Zynq UltraScale+ SoC is gaining traction in Japan's automotive sector. Following its collaboration with Aisin, AMD has also partnered with DENSO earlier this year for its upcoming lidar system, slated for a 2025 release. The system promises over 20x resolution improvement and ultra-low latency, enhancing object detection capabilities.

To address the growing demand for more edge sensors, 3D surround-view camera systems in the automotive industry they are releasing two new additions to their Automotive XA Artix™ UltraScale+™ family: the XA AU10P and XA AU15P processors, tailored for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) sensors. This extends their portfolio and is accelerating the development of autonomous vehicles for carmakers, robotaxi developers, and Tier 1 suppliers.