Vivante Goes Mainstream with OpenCL Computer Vision Products for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Applications

Multi-core GPU Compute increases automotive safety with optimized vision algorithms for active safety monitoring, situational awareness, object detection/recognition, and collision avoidance (CAS).

SUNNYVALE, CA--Dec. 12, 2012: Vivante Corporation, a world-wide leader in graphics and compute technologies, today announced its cores have been widely adopted to power the next generation ADAS Computer Vision applications from top tier automotive OEMs. ADAS is a term that describes the latest electronic technologies found in automobiles that focus on increasing safety for occupants, pedestrians, and surrounding vehicles. These safety technologies use sensor fusion to combine inputs from cameras, sensors, GPS, RADAR, and IR to create "intelligent" cars that are very aware of their surroundings. These real time systems continuously monitor, predict, and try to prevent accidents. Automobiles from Acura, BMW, Ford, GM, Mercedes, and Volvo have safety packages that include different forms of ADAS.

What the automotive industry is saying about ADAS and OpenCL
"We definitely see OpenCL gaining momentum as the industry emphasizes safety, features, and convenience," said Dan Loop, Freescale Semiconductor i.MX Automotive Product Marketing. "One reason for this rapid adoption of new safety features is the traction OpenCL is getting from OEMs and developers. The programmability and speed-up of some critical computer vision algorithms on the GPGPU provide significant performance gains and power savings over DSPs and CPUs. Using the OpenCL solution available in the i.MX 6 platform, our customers optimize their algorithms for hybrid systems to take full advantage of the GPU as well as the CPU."

In a publication from research firm ABI Research, they report "this year [2011], global ADAS market value should approach $10 billion, growing to an impressive $130 billion in 2016."¹

Two reports from Research and Markets about ADAS state "recent growth in installations of ADAS is set to accelerate and provide opportunities for those innovative suppliers participating."² A second report focusing on the EU market mentions "Moving ADAS from niche to mass market: Europe is witnessing a surge in the availability of ADAS, reflecting the joint efforts of the automotive industry and European governments to improve safety and enhance driver comfort."³

Another industry report⁴ concludes that factors supporting ADAS are "Inclusion of ADAS in new car safety assessments -- by Euro NCAP and NHTSA", "EC legislation requiring fitment of ADAS in trucks and buses will come into force at the end of 2012 and private cars are expected to follow", and "vehicle manufacturers are continuing to reduce system prices and migrate ADAS availability to mass market models."