Mobileye CEO Anticipates Autonomous Vehicle Advancements in Two Years

The vision of self-driving vehicles crowding our streets once seemed just around the corner, as automakers and technology firms enthusiastically predicted a future where hailing a robotaxi was an everyday reality. However, the journey to autonomous transportation has been riddled with setbacks, including a tragic incident with an Uber test vehicle and challenges encountered by Tesla's assistive technology and GM's Cruise initiative in San Francisco.

Mobileye Advancing Driver-Assist and Autonomous Tech

Despite these hurdles, progress continues unabated, according to Amnon Shashua, the CEO and co-founder of Mobileye, an Israeli firm at the forefront of developing semi-autonomous driver-assist systems as well as fully self-driving technology. Owned primarily by Intel, Mobileye's technology is integral to current vehicles that handle basic driving tasks like steering and braking, although human oversight remains essential. Looking ahead, systems that permit drivers to divert their attention from driving and entirely autonomous vehicles are expected to arrive within the next two years.

The Multifaceted Narrative of Autonomous Vehicles

When discussing autonomous vehicles, it is important to recognize that the narrative is multifaceted, comprising three key aspects. The first aspect emphasizes safety, where the goal is to significantly decrease accidents through enhanced systems equipped with multiple cameras. This would result in a dramatic reduction in accident occurrences.

Next is the development of additional redundant sensors, such as front-facing lidars and imaging radars, to enable systems where drivers can legally redirect their focus away from driving, typically beginning on highways before expanding to secondary roads. This innovation promises benefits in productivity by 'buying back time' for individuals on long hauls.

The narrative culminates with the introduction of robotaxis that operate without a driver, drastically improving the efficiency and economics of ride-sharing services akin to Uber and Lyft by removing the human driver from the equation altogether.

Mobileye's Ongoing Projects and Expected Outcomes

Mobileye's SuperVision technology is equipped with an array of 11 cameras and is currently used by around 200,000 vehicles in China. Plans are in place to extend its reach to Europe and the US this year. It offers a hands-free, but eyes-on driving experience. Furthermore, Mobileye has announced a collaboration with a major Western automotive OEM to launch their 'Chauffeur' system on nine car models by 2026, an advancement towards the second story of eyes-off highway driving.

Addressing the final story of robotaxis, Mobileye is also collaborating with Volkswagen on the ID. Buzz van to deploy thousands of fully autonomous vehicles by 2026. While the deployment of robotaxis has been slower than initially anticipated, they are indeed steadily progressing towards reality.

Shashua highlighted the importance of system reliability, where the mean time between failures must surpass human capabilities, given the legal and liability shifts from the driver to the system itself in certain cases. Lastly, regarding Tesla, Shashua added that while Tesla has impressive technical capabilities, Mobileye believes in the necessity of multiple sensor redundancies for a true eyes-off experience, diverging from Tesla's camera-only approach.

Mobileye, autonomous, technology