Heading into 2024, (Autonomous) Vehicle Safety is Make or “Brake”

By Sam Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Meili Technologies

Because of my Dad’s epilepsy, vehicle safety has been integral to my family for as long as I can remember. My Mom actually taught me how to take the keys out of a moving car when I was 10 just in case my dad had a seizure while driving. When he eventually lost his license because his seizures had become too frequent, this loss of autonomy in mobility took a massive toll on my family.

It’s for these reasons I pursued a career in building innovative systems which enable those with mobility challenges to maintain (or attain) autonomy for people like my Dad. This means literally putting myself in the shoes of drivers and patients alike (see photo).

Despite recent headwinds against autonomous vehicles (“AVs”), I believe that the future is autonomous and this technology will be pivotal to enabling driving accessibility for all. Three top technological trends in the automotive industry that have me excited about the future:

1. The shift to the software defined vehicle that allows for increased autonomyCars have previously been designed with a combination of hundreds of ECUs (electronic control units) with each controlling a small component of the vehicle. However, cars are quickly becoming computers on wheels. This push really started with Tesla’s adoption of a centralized processor in their vehicles and has been increasingly adopted by other automakers. Why? Enabling this type of technology leads to more reliable functioning, easier updates and maintenance, and empowering newer, more advanced features that combine systems throughout the vehicle.
2. Growing consumer comfort with autonomy featuresMost new cars today are classified as “level 2” autonomy and some automakers have recently been approved for “level 3,” as well. Advanced features like adaptive cruise control, lateral steering, and automatic emergency brake assist are all, in fact, autonomy features that have been embraced by the mainstream consumer. As consumers recognize the benefits of these features, their trust will pave the way for widespread adoption.
3. Regulatory pushes for advanced in-cabin sensing systemsThere have been MANY recent advancements in in-cabin sensing, mainly sensors that are trained on a vehicle's occupants. Examples include:

• mmWave radar (from startups like Pontosense and Algorized as well as incumbent suppliers like Bosch ) for child presence detection
• Driver-facing cameras/AI developed by companies like Seeing Machines , Smart Eye , and Gentex Corporation in cars like Tesla s and some 福特 cars are used for monitoring distraction and drowsiness
• Gesture recognition in 宝马 vehicles and may other high-end vehicles have 3D cameras already installed for recognizing a driver making gestures to the car to take specific actions, like opening and closing the car’s sunroof
• Physiological sensor integration in Mercedes-Benz AG in partnership with Garmin syncs with driver and occupant smart watches to better understand when a driver is stressed

Regulatory pushes for advanced vehicle sensing systems like these have become more prominent. The EU’s NCAP has required vehicles to have sensing systems that will be critical for safe use of today’s level 2 autonomous vehicles by detecting abandoned children and pets as well as driver distraction and drowsiness.

Similarly, proposed legislation in the US’s current infrastructure bill is pushing the auto industry to develop intoxication detection solutions .

Heading into 2024, we are more excited than ever to support the industry’s ongoing technological evolution and achieve a safer driving world for all.

Shout out to Wendy Ju for inspiring me and brainstorming with me from the beginning and always sharing her AV wisdom, the Meili Technologies team for being absolute rock stars, our investors Female Founders Fund , Chingona Ventures , Cornell Tech , and Sand Hill Angels , as well as HearstLab , for being an early investor and thought partner. Thank you all for believing in us and our mission. We’re excited to change the world with you!

More on Meili: https://www.meilitechnologies.com/mission ?

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