VALEO - A GLOBAL LEADER IN DRIVING ASSISTANCE SENSORS
Valeo is the world’s leading manufacturer of driving assistance sensors. It entered the market in 1991, with the first ultrasonic sensors for parking maneuvers. Today, Valeo offers the most comprehensive portfolio of driving assistance sensors on the market, comprising ultrasonic sensors, radars, cameras, and the automotive industry’s first and only series produced LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) scanner, Valeo SCALA®.
The Group has already produced around one billion sensors, of all types, and will produce over a billion more in the next four years. Valeo is also specialized in aggregating and processing the data from these sensors for autonomous driving.
In fall 2018, Valeo put on a world-first demonstration of its unique expertise in this field. The Valeo Drive4U autonomous vehicle, fitted exclusively with series-produced sensors, completed a test drive in the dense and complex urban traffic conditions of the streets of Paris. This operation marked a major milestone along the path to fully autonomous driving.
VALEO EVERVIEW - WORKING TOGETHER FOR DETECTION
The sensors developed by the Comfort & Driving Assistance Systems Business Group act as the eyes and ears of autonomous cars. Vehicles need to be able to see and hear in all circumstances. The solutions developed by Valeo’s Visibility Systems Business Group ensure that the sensors are always clean. This combination of sensors and cleaning systems sums up Valeo’s DNA: providing mobility players with practical innovations at affordable prices.
Autonomous vehicles are equipped with a multitude of sensors that enable them to analyze their surroundings. As these sensors need to be able to work at all times and in all types of weather, it is vital that they be clean at all times. With this in mind, Valeo has developed a range of three fully automated cleaning systems for all types of cameras and LiDARs:
> The cleaning systems for cameras include several types of nozzles, usually with a small retractable arm, that spray just the right amount of cleaning fluid onto the external lens. These can be combined with drying systems, and Valeo also offers a de icing feature to ensure maximum performance in winter.
> Valeo everView Centricam is Valeo’s latest innovation to keep the camera’s field of view constantly clear. Rain, mud, dust, etc. are removed by centrifugation.
> Valeo has also developed LiDAR everView, a cleaning technology for LiDAR sensors that only uses 25 ml of cleaning fluid, versus 100 ml for the non-automatic systems of its competitors. Beginning in 2020, it will be fitted on the vehicles of a leading German brand.
VALEO SMART COCOON
The Valeo Smart Cocoon uses an algorithm to offer localized pods of thermal comfort adapted to each passenger according to their body type. The Comfort & Driving Assistance Systems Business Group designs infrared cameras that detect thermal data for the vehicle cabin and each passenger, based on their heart rate, body type, age and the way they are dressed. Cabin thermal management, and therefore passenger comfort, is led by the Thermal Systems Business Group.
The Valeo Smart Cocoon is a system offering a localized thermal comfort bubble adapted to each passenger according to his or her physiological characteristics. Biosensors and infrared cameras gage the thermal profile of each passenger based on heart and breathing rates, clothing, age, gender and body type in order to fine-tune the vehicle’s internal temperature.
Valeo Smart Cocoon provides personalized comfort while minimizing demand on vehicle energy, with up to 30% energy savings (in winter). This is particularly important for optimizing electric vehicle range.
In summer, a mist dispenser and fans activate automatically by following the movements of passengers and, in winter, radiant panels heat the inside of the vehicle to quickly reach the desiredlevel of warmth and comfort, thereby reducing overall consumption and noise. The use of color in the interior lighting enhances the sensation, with warm shades for heat and pale shades for cool. Specifically, at equal temperatures, red lighting gives the sensation of a 2°C (~4°F) increase and blue light an impression of a 2°C (~4°F) decrease.
DRIVER MONITORING
The Driver Monitoring is a new system based on a camera to monitor driver alertness, that not only recognizes the driver, but also checks his or her level of vigilance. The purpose of the Driver Monitoring system is to alert the driver when signs of drowsiness or distraction are detected. Other applications for the system are also possible, such as driver identification and control functions using the eyes. These developments will contribute to heightened safety and more intuitive use of the new generation of driver assistance functions.
The vehicle is equipped with a camera built into the dashboard and aimed at the driver’s face. It allows functionalities such as :
> Identification of the driver in order to allow the vehicle to automatically restore its preferences and settings
> Monitor driver fatigue and alert him when potential drowsiness situation is detected
> Monitor driver attentiveness by ensuring he’s keeping his eyes on the road and that he is aware of any dangerous situation
> Pilot an user interface thanks to the eyes by automatically selecting HMI areas, highlight features
