ZF has unveiled a slew of innovative solutions on the inaugural day of Auto Shanghai 2021. The company has introduced the next generation of its ZF ProAI at Auto Shanghai 2021. The system has been upgraded in several aspects; apart from better computational performance with up to 66% more teraOPS, it simultaneously consumes up to 70% less power (3 teraOPS per Watt on average).
According to the company, the system’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities are optimised for deep learning processes, further enhancing its ability to deliver advanced safety features: the board offers a 360° GPU-driven fusion of all available sensor data, including environmental measurement data from radars, LiDARs, cameras and audio patterns. Additionally, it also saves on necessary installation space.
Dr Holger Klein, ZF Board Member for the Asia-Pacific region, said, “It is currently the most flexible, scalable, and powerful automotive-grade supercomputer in the world.”
Designed for the requirements of software-defined vehicles and their new electric/electronic architectures, this AI capable high-performance computer can serve as a domain, zone or central controller. It is suitable for any vehicle type and for all levels of automated or autonomous driving: from Level-2 to Level 5. ZF ProAI will go into serial production latest in 2024.
Automated Valet Parking
At the show, ZF also demonstrated Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (vSLAM) technology to the public that enables centimetre-accurate localisation and real-time map generation. The sensor set is mainly based on one front camera, one front radar, four surrounding cameras and twelve ultrasonics but scalable with more advanced sensors and connectivity.
Renee Wang, President, ZF China and Senior Vice President Operations, Asia-Pacific region, said, “The entire system is developed in China and will have its debut at a Chinese car manufacturer at the end of 2022. We believe that this infrastructure-independent automated valet parking system from ZF will be a cost-effective solution for many global OEMs.”
CV Assistance Systems
ZF’s most advanced emergency braking system for commercial vehicles, OnGuardMAX, has its global launch at the show and its debut on Chinese roads. The technology can identify and – if necessary – react precisely to a broad range of moving and stationary objects, including vehicles and pedestrians. OnGuardMAX can support the driver reliably in various dangerous driving situations while helping to reduce the risk of accidents effectively.
Answering the increasing demand for improved vehicle efficiency and reduced CO2 emission to support global sustainability, ZF introduces OptiPace, a Predictive Economical Cruise Control system (PECC) that can anticipate and adapt the vehicle’s most economical speed based on the road topography ahead to help minimise fuel consumption, brake pad wear and emissions.
The Autonomous Driving Open Platform Technology (ADOPT) offers an efficient and flexible industry model for developing autonomous driving applications for commercial vehicles. It translates instructions from autonomous driving artificial intelligence into real vehicle motion commands by enabling the control of all relevant vehicle actuation systems.