One of the world’s leading global automotive suppliers, Marelli has signed a master cooperation agreement with based WHST (Wuhu SensorTech Intelligent Technology) focused on radar sensors, devoted to Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving (AD) applications.
WHST, a high-tech radar specialist headquartered in Wuhu (China), will provide technology and engineering services related to radar integration, on an exclusive basis aimed at Chinese market. The agreement also provides for the cooperation to broaden up in scope to cater to other regions in the world.
Radar sensors are vital to enabling ADAS functions and to develop AD systems. The collaboration will specifically focus on radars using 77 GHz and 79 GHz applications for 4D radar, to be integrated by Marelli into headlamps, rear lamps, smart grilles but also standalone corner and long-range radar and newest cockpit radar technology, a release issued by the company stated.
For the past many years, Marelli has been focusing on building its competence in the ADAS/AD domain, by leveraging its own long-standing capabilities and also by forming strategic partnerships. The company had introduced a solution integrating sensors for autonomous driving within vehicle headlamps and tail lamps, called Smart Corner – one that won them an innovation award at CES 2019.
Sylvain Dubois, CEO, Automotive Lighting, Marelli said the agreement lies in the path of the on-going evolution of the automotive lighting sector: with the “eyes” of the cars increasingly changing over the years. “As Marelli Automotive Lighting, we have already started our strategy to integrate into our solutions and offer the best technologies for sensor perception and integration, in order to enable ADAS and the various levels of AD,” he said.
Commenting on the agreement, Dr Yi Qin, CEO, WHST said Marelli Automotive Lighting and WHST have entered this agreement to develop the Smart Corner project hand in hand. “Over a period of one year, Marelli and WHST have been working as one team, developing an exciting Smart Corner project integrating our radar with lighting from Marelli. I hope this is the first step of working towards deeper partnership,” said Qin.
The kind of radars Marelli and WHST are working on will be a crucial factor to enable Level 2 and Level 3 of autonomous driving in vehicles, studies estimate.