Jaguar Land Rover

Qualcomm: Unlocking Software-Defined Vehicles

This is a full company profile on Qualcomm Technologies. IDTechEx Technology Analyst James Falkiner attended IAA Mobility (also known as the Munich Motorshow) where he had a discussion with Qualcomm's Hans Christian Thiel. IDTechEx also attended a talk by Qualcomm's CEO, Cristiano Amon, where he discussed software-defined vehicles (SDV).

Second Life Lithium

Second Life Lithium is a wholesale distributor of reusable Li-ion batteries harvested from various sources. IDTechEx caught up with the company at The Battery Show North America 2023.

Can Computer-Generated Holography Compete in the Automotive Space?

True 3D display technologies such as light field displays and computer-generated holography are awaited with great expectation and multiple companies are working to make this technology a reality. The challenges associated with these display technologies, however, are extensive and it will take some years to see these 3D images delivered to consumers. This is not true, however, with regards to computer-generated holography. While it remains currently unsuitable for most applications, several companies have been successful in advocating its usage in automotive heads-up displays (HUDs). Its multiple depths and high brightness make it an exceptionally good competitor in this space and companies such as Envisics, Continental, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, WayRay and Ceres Holographics could be on the cusp of developing something truly unique.

Envisics

Founded in January 2018, from an augmented reality wearables parent company, DAQRI, Envisics has grown in the heads-up display (HUD) space, being valued more recently at US$500M with investments from large OEMs such as Hyundai Mobis, Stellantis, GM Ventures or Inmotion Ventures from Jaguar Land Rover. With research that spun out of the University of Cambridge, Envisics has evolved significantly, bringing this solution to the automotive industry. Led by Dr Jamieson Christmas, Envisics is bringing holographic displays to augmented reality HUDs (AR-HUDS) and providing full depth planes to images projected ahead of the driver.

Nodar: Untethered Stereo Camera With LiDAR-Like Performance

Stereo cameras have been used in the automotive industry before, with a handful of examples. But so far these have needed to be physically linked with rigid connections, locking the cameras in position so that they stay calibrated. Nodar brings a unique algorithm which dynamically calibrates the stereo system, negating the need for stiff connections between the camera and allowing much wider mountings and much more accurate distancing.