Neural Propulsion Systems (NPS) emerged from stealth to launch NPS 500, the first all-in-one deeply integrated multi-modal sensor system focused on Level 4/5 autonomy. The new sensor-fused system precisely interconnects the NPS solid-state MIMO LiDAR, super resolution SWAM radar and cameras cooperatively to detect and process 360° high resolution data giving vehicles the ability to prevent all accidents.

The densely integrated sensor system enables vehicles to “see around corners” and more than 500 meters of range with ultra-resolution accuracy together with highly adaptive frame rate. The NPS 500 breakthrough capabilities make it 10X more reliable than currently announced sensor solutions, according to NPS.

The NPS 500. Source: NPS

Lidar, radar and cameras will all play significant roles in creating the ideal autonomous driving platform and there is no question that tightly connected sensors with onboard data fusion for automated driving enables more functionalities. This direction is unique and is likely to succeed in a market that could reach $25B in 2025 for sensing and computing in both ADAS and robot vehicles.

—Pierrick Boulay, senior analyst at Yole Développement

Chrysler Pacifica with NPS 500. Source: NPS

The NPS multi-modal sensor system addresses physics-based limitations of each sensory system. The NPS 500 enhances and combines the strengths of lidar, radar and cameras to create a platform that leverages the capabilities of each technology, while addressing today’s challenges of Level 4/5 autonomy, including:

• Cameras: Provide high resolution images, but lack depth information and depend on lighting conditions.

• Radar: Measure velocity with great precision, but has lower resolution than lidar and are vulnerable to interference from other radars.

• Lidar: Provides super precision depth information, but its performance and reliability degrade in adversarial, weather and light conditions, and it can get occluded fairly easily.

Source: NPS

Features of NPS 500 include:

• Lidar: New solid-state MIMO-LiDAR architecture doubles range to ≥ 500 meters with super resolution and adaptive multi-beam search.

• Radar: New class of radar technology with 10X better detection reliability, simultaneous, multi-band 360° FoV, 70X better against other radar signal interference.

• Software: First AI fusion technology to “see-around-the-corner”.

• Chips: 650 Tb/s sensor-data processing on network of tightly connected custom signal processing chips.

Benefits include:

• Range ≥ 500 meters @ 10% reflectivity;

• Doubling the reaction time currently available lidar;

• Significant increase in sensor data reliability;

• See-around-the-corner capabilities;

• Anticipating pedestrian’s movement well before reaching cross section;

• Detecting moving objects approaching intersections well in advance;

• Built-in redundancy for maximum reliability in harsh environments, bad driving and tough terrains;

• Low maintenance, automakers can efficiently rely on NPS sensors once the vehicles leave the dealership;

• Multi-beam adaptive scan up to 100 FPS to detect and track subtle movements;

• See thru occlusion;

• Reduced time to market;

• Cost effective; and

• Low CAPEX and OPEX for OEM customers.