Renesas Electronics delivers R-Car V3H system-on-chip for automotive front cameras in Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous vehicles

With the rapid enhancement of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving technologies, autonomous-driving vehicles are becoming a reality.

Renesas Electronics Corporation, an industry-leading supplier of automotive semiconductor solutions, announced its new R-Car V3H system-on-chip (SoC) that delivers high computer vision performance and AI processing at industry-leading low power levels, targeting automotive front cameras for use in mass-produced Level 3 (conditional automation) and Level 4 (high automation) autonomous vehicles.

The new R-Car V3H system-on-chip (SoC) is optimised for use in stereo front cameras and achieves five times the computer vision performance of its predecessor, the R-Car V3M SoC targeting NCAP front cameras, announced on April 11, 2017. Part of the open, innovative, and trusted Renesas autonomy™ Platform for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving (AD), the R-Car V3H enables design flexibility for Tier 1s and OEMs to map their own road from assisted- to highly- automated vehicles.

State-of-the-art R-Car recognition technology

The R-Car V3H SoC focuses on architecture optimisation for computer vision processing, enabling all relevant ADAS functions from conditional to highly automated driving. Leveraging Renesas’ concept of heterogeneous computer vision cores based on the IMP-X5+ image recognition engine and dedicated hardware accelerators, the R-Car V3H achieves advanced sensing capabilities with algorithms including Dense Optical Flow, Dense Stereo Disparity, and Object Classification.

The integrated IP for CNN accelerates deep learning at industry-leading low power levels of only 0.3 watts, achieving more than two times of the deep neural network performance of the R-Car V3M.

Scalability and cost saving

Relying on proven IPs already used in the R-Car V3M, the R-Car V3H includes a dual Image Signal Processor (ISP) that converts camera sensor signals for image creation and recognition processing. The re-use ensures scalability from NCAP systems -using R-Car V3M- to level 3 and 4 smart camera systems -using R-Car V3H-, reducing both development time as well as system costs by avoiding the need for ISPs in each camera.

For further system cost savings, the R-Car V3H requires only a single LPDDR4 memory, reducing the cost for memory components compared to other solutions for front cameras.

Open platform solution

Tier1s and OEMs have the choice to develop a front camera solution by themselves or work with leading partners from the Renesas autonomy ecosystem, which is supported by leading front camera partners including HELLA Aglaia.

“The R-Car V3H specification and design was done by cooperating closely with front camera market leaders to ensure we addressed the requirements of those leading innovations on autonomous driving systems. As the automotive semiconductor industry leader, Renesas is committed to providing open, innovative, and trusted solutions for assisted and automated driving,” said Jean-Francois Chouteau, vice president, Renesas Electronics Corporation.

“Besides featuring state-of-the-art computer vision performance at a very competitive system cost, what our customers like above all with R-Car-V3H is being able to keep the freedom to implement a front camera with their own differentiators and still benefit from scalable solutions between R-Car V3M and R-Car V3H.”

Availability

Samples of the R-Car V3H SoC will be available from Q4. Mass production is scheduled to begin in Q3, 2019. (Availability is subject to change without notice.)

Renesas will demonstrate the new R-Car V3H at embedded world 2018 (Stand 310, Hall 1), which takes place February 27 to March 1, 2018 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Please refer to the separate sheet for product specifications of the R-Car V3H.

Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @IoTNow_OR @jcIoTnow

RECENT ARTICLES

Semtech enhances global connectivity with NTN support in HL78 modules

Posted on: March 29, 2024

Semtech Corporation has announced the integration of non-terrestrial network (NTN) support into its HL series LPWA modules, specifically the HL7810 and HL7812. This significant advancement showcases a leap forward in enabling uninterrupted global connectivity even amidst the most challenging conditions.

Read more

Enhance EV charging performance with cellular connectivity

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing their market share at the expense of internal combustion engine vehicles. The growth is fuelled by several factors. Perhaps most importantly, prices for EVs have started to drop as competition in the industry is intensifying. New players and models are emerging, prompting several established EV makers to lower their

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

What is IoT? A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on: April 5, 2023

What is IoT? IoT, or the Internet of Things, refers to the connection of everyday objects, or “things,” to the internet, allowing them to collect, transmit, and share data. This interconnected network of devices transforms previously “dumb” objects, such as toasters or security cameras, into smart devices that can interact with each other and their

Read more

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

9 IoT applications that will change everything

Posted on: September 1, 2021

Whether you are a future-minded CEO, tech-driven CEO or IT leader, you’ve come across the term IoT before. It’s often used alongside superlatives regarding how it will revolutionize the way you work, play, and live. But is it just another buzzword, or is it the as-promised technological holy grail? The truth is that Internet of

Read more

Which IoT Platform 2021? IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide

Posted on: August 30, 2021

There are several different parts in a complete IoT solution, all of which must work together to get the result needed, write IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide – Which IoT Platform 2021? authors Robin Duke-Woolley, the CEO and Bill Ingle, a senior analyst, at Beecham Research. Figure 1 shows these parts and, although not all

Read more

CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences

Posted on: June 21, 2021

As industry players look to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity, two different standards have emerged under release 13 of 3GPP – CAT-M1 and NB-IoT.

Read more

IoT and home automation: What does the future hold?

Posted on: June 10, 2020

Once a dream, home automation using iot is slowly but steadily becoming a part of daily lives around the world. In fact, it is believed that the global market for smart home automation will reach $40 billion by 2020.

Read more

5 challenges still facing the Internet of Things

Posted on: June 3, 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become a huge part of how people live, communicate and do business. All around the world, web-enabled devices are turning our world into a more switched-on place to live.

Read more