Large field test of VANET from academic research project in Portugal

here are the interesting research with field test benches developed in Instituto de Telecomunicações:

http://www.av.it.pt/a.cardote/media/

More interestingly, the researchers have planed a large scale field trial of IEEE 802.11p based VANET involving 400+ taxis in Porto ;-) For more details, please their speech on RTCM 2011.

RTCM_1_Jul_11_s4p2.pdf

NHTSA: The Safety Pilot planned in Ann Arbor, Mich. staring from Aug. 2012

According to an article from Wired, a field trial involving 3000 vehicles equipped with V2V communication system is planned in Aug. 2012. The trial will take about one year in Ann Arbor, Mich. to collect sufficient data for V2V standardization and to evaluate the safety applications using V2V wireless technologies.

The original article is available at Feds To Begin Testing Connected Vehicles.

Followups of GCDC

With the Team AnnieWay from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Winning the first Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge (GCDC), Jongh's open source 802.11p Linux driver and the FAST protocol stack were proven to be working in at least the scenarios of GCDC.

There is a article (in Dutch) on the GCDC from university Twente worth to read.

More readings:
- Vehicle to Vehicle Communication Basis for Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge
- Can Cars Talk with Each Other?

Cohda is Active in Car2X World

Trials are planned in South Australia, according to the press release from AAP. This news shows also the involvement of Cohda, the supplier for German field trial project SIM-TD and the potential supplier for the U.S. IntelliDrive project, will be active in the Australian trials of C2X technologies.

Further readings:
- Smart cars trialled in national first
- Connect Safe Project in Australia
- DSRC Interoperability Study
- NXP and Cohda teach cars to communicate with 802.11p, hopes to commercialize tech by 2014

IEEE 802.11p (WAVE) gains public attention on its sucurity issue

Is it be easy to hack a car? Will it be easier to hack a highway with IEEE 802.11p?

Reported by COMPUTERWORLD, the emerging IEEE 802.11p technology could become the weak point for the highway safety and toll collection system that working on top of it. Rob Havelt, director of penetration testing at security vendor Trustwave's SpiderLabs, pointed out the threats faced by the emerging Car2Car communication technologies in his briefings at Black Hat DC.

This is not the first time that the security issues of Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE) or system alike are discussed. Actually, along with the academia research on Car2Car communication, security has been always studied, e.g. SEVECOM project. However, a perfect security solution for Car2Car is very hard to achieve, if it really exists.

Particularly interesting, the experts of the Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge (GCDC) have developed the Linux driver module that can easily turn the COTS WiFi radio into IEEE 802.11p complying ITS transceiver on 5.9 GHz ITS band.

Renesas Technology Announced the World's First Commercial ITS Verification Test inChangchun City, China

The Japanese automotive semiconductor manufacturer Renesas Technology announced the world first commercial ITS verification test using WAVE technology in ChangChun City, China.

The verification consists of three buses, eight bus stops and an intersection in equipped with WAVE terminals, developed by Renesas. The WAVE system is used for the information exchange between buses and stops for the applications of bus arrival time prediction, video stream transmission between intersection and buses, as well as onboard surveillance.

For more information, please read the news release from Renesas. (PDF)

ITRI WAVE/DSRC Communication Unit (IWCU) Platform in Taiwan

Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan released the first IWCU (ITRI WAVE/DSRC Communication Unit) in Taiwan. The IWCU serial products are meant to provide V2V V2R communciatio enabling ITS applications ranging from Safety to Infortainment, as reported in :

http://www.mem.com.tw/article_content.asp?sn=0909250006

WLAN-based RFID and Vehicular Communication Solutions from ARADA System

Arada's solution shows that the hardware solutions for vehicular communication have been very well developed and are flexible enough for both safety critical and intertainment applications.

SUNNYVALE, CA - Jan. 7, 2009 - Arada System announced complete WLAN-based RFID solution featuring Atheros ROCm® Technology.

The Loc-Air complete hardware and software solution from Arada Systems is the world's first RFID 802.11a/b/g solution, which leverages Atheros' ROCm technology for mobile WLAN and delivers the breakthrough low-power. It can deliver up to 10 years of operation on a standard double AA battery, stated by Arada. The design features Atheros' 802.11a/b/g WLAN technology with a tuning range of 2.3-2.7GHz and 4.9-5.95GHz, as well as Atheros' single-chip GPS technology, an accelerometer, and a temperature sensor that can be customized to meet the demands of various market segments.

"Arada Systems' Loc-Air technology platform is enabling a new class of applications that require extraordinarily low power consumption and enable a host of new applications and markets that extend beyond more traditional WLAN applications such as routers and laptops," said Praveen Singh, president and CEO of Arada Systems. "We are pleased to be the first to offer an RFID solution that delivers the benefits of the full spectrum of both the 2.4 and 5GHz wireless bands. With Atheros' market-proven, cost-effective mobile WLAN solution behind us, I am confident that we will deliver a highly reliable technology to satisfy even the most demanding industrial requirements for high-performance RFID." "Arada's entry into the RFID market with its innovative wireless-enabled Loc-Air technology should expand the adoption of WLAN-based locationing applications in a wide array of markets including healthcare, transportation and security," said Amir Faintuch, vice president and general manager of the mobile business unit for Atheros. "We are pleased that Atheros' ROCm technologies for WLAN and GPS will support Arada's RFID platform with unmatched wireless performance and versatility, with a cost structure that meets the requirements of the emerging, low-power, Wi-Fi sensor and location markets."

To be noticed, by adding expanded frequency support, Arada's LocAir system enables 2.3-2.7GHz, 4.9-5.95GHz, channelization from 20Mhz, 10MHz and 5MHz, which covers the Wi-Fi®, WiMAX, Public Safety, Automotive (802.11p) and all proprietary bands all over the world.

The white paper from Arada on High Bandwidth Application over Wi-Fi Connection with IEEE 802.11p, and IEEE P1609 (WAVE) Protocols (pdf) reveals Arada's solutin on solving the chanllenges in physical layer, and MAC layer with special focuses on channel utilization efficiency and synchronization between multiple wireless nodes. More specifically, the strengths of Arada's solution include:

• Wi-Fi Radio tuning for FCC Class C Spectral mask
• Consistent channel switching time of less than 3msec
• Efficient time synchronization between nodes
• Low propagation delay from transmit application to receive application
• Less than 2% loss in broadcast messages used for safety
• Efficient channel utilization, with high TCP/UDP data throughput used in infotainment applications.

"About Arada Systems

Arada Systems is a leader in advanced software solutions based on Atheros' world-class Wi-Fi chipsets. Arada Systems offers a wide array of products, services, testing solutions licensing solutions. Arada Systems provides solutions to customers that are developing leading-edge applications of Wi-Fi in the enterprise, outdoor, automotive, industrial and consumer electronics market segments. Consisting of a versatile team of leading wireless experts from Atheros Communications as well as other Wi-Fi companies, Arada Systems has the expertise to solve complex issues regarding the use of WLAN technology in a variety of applications. Arada Systems is headquartered in Silicon Valley in Sunnyvale, CA with development centers in India's Silicon Valley in Bangalore. For more information, please visit: http://www.aradasystems.com."

Orignial release: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Arada-Systems-935209.html

Freescale for Auto Electornics

Freescale progressed as the supplier for automotive electornics:

(The original article from John Day's Auto Electronics Blog )

"Freescale at Convergence 2008 Strategy Analytics’ report,”Automotive Microcontrollers: Market Demand and Product Directions,” predicts that 32-bit devices will account for 58% of the $7.6 billion automotive MCU market by 2015 and that high-end MCUs will be key enablers of future emissions-controlling powertrain technology, advanced safety and driver assistance systems, and multimedia entertainment products. So that’s what Freescale focused on at Convergence 2008:Freescale FlexRay and BMW

Freescale’s FlexRay controller technology was first implemented last year in the BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle, which was the first standard-production vehicle to use the FlexRay protocol. The Integrated Chassis Management (ICM) system in the BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe, which manages the vehicle’s drivetrain and suspension functions, uses two 32-bit Freescale Power Architecture MCUs. As with the X5, Freescale FlexRay controller technology is used in BMW’s optional Adaptive Drive, which allows drivers to select a sporting or a more comfortable ride with the press of a button. Sensors in the vehicle continuously monitor vehicle speed, steering-wheel position, and the pitch and yaw forces acting on the BMW chassis. The FlexRay network carries that sensor data to the chassis control system, which automatically adjusts the vehicle’s stabilizers and dampers, changing their settings to counteract forces that might cause the body to roll or sway.Mobile web connectivity – and DSRC

Freescale and software developer G4 Apps unveiled a jointly developed, production-ready automotive platform for safety and telematics applications with mobile Web connectivity options including cellular, Wi-Fi, and DSRC (dedicated short-range communications), the protocol and radio interface used in the United States Department of Transportation’s VII (vehicle infrastructure integration) program for vehicle safety. The platform, based on Freescale’s MPC5121e multicore microprocessor, supports the mobility applications in the U.S. DOT’s SAFE TRIP 21 initiative and similar initiatives elsewhere. Freescale said it provides a reference design that OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers can use to develop higher volume products. i.MX35 multimedia

Richard Robinson, principal automotive electronics analyst for iSuppli Corp., predicts that the infotainment application processor market will more than double over the next six years, reaching $1.2 billion in 2014, up from $580 Million in 2007.Freescale said its new i.MX35 family of infotainment application processors, based on the ARM1136JF-S core, will enable OEMs to offer navigation capabilities and hands-free control of in-car audio as affordable options on all vehicles - not just on luxury models. The i.MX35 builds on the i.MX31, which powers Ford’s SYNC. Consumers can choose songs, retrieve text messages and get directions, all with simple voice commands.There are three pin-compatible devices in the i.MX35 family. The i.MX351 is for audio connectivity platforms, the i.MX355 for “cost-effective display-based systems,” and the i.MX356, which integrates an OpenVG 1.1-compliant graphics processing unit, for navigation services and other applications that call for higher levels of graphics content. The i.MX356’s OpenVG technology also supports applications like personal navigation devices, which require connectivity as well as high performance graphics.Connectivity options include two CAN modules, a Media Local Bus (MLB) to connect to MOST INIC transceivers, Ethernet, two MMC/SD/SDIO ports, a CE-ATA/SDIO port for external wireless modules, two integrated USB PHYs, and a 3.3V general purpose I/O interface. Freescale said the processors support lower cost memories like DDR2 and multi-level cell NAND.The i.MX35 family supports the Microsoft Auto platform and works with QNX Software’s Aviage family of middleware products and its Neutrino OS. An i.MX35 product development kit (PDK) is available as are board support packages for Windows Embedded CE and Linux operating systems, plus optimized audio and video codecs and digital rights management libraries. Samples are available now to tier one customers. Others will have to wait until Q1 2009. Volume production is planned for Q3 2009. Suggested resale prices for 2010 in 100K quantities range from $10 to $13.MPC5674F for “green” engine design

For engine control in mainstream, high-volume automobiles, Freescale’s 32-bit MPC5674F powertrain MCU, built on 90 nm Power Architecture technology, offers 264 MHz clock speed and more than 600 million Dhrystone instructions per second (DMIPS) performance, which the firm claims is about 10 times better than conventional engine controllers. The chip includes on-chip digital signal processing, four A/D converters, 4 MB of on-chip flash, 256K data RAM, 64 and 32-channel DMA controllers, and a variety of interfaces, including four that support FlexCAN. Target applications include common rail diesel injection systems, gasoline direct injection engines, homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) systems, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).Kevin Klein, global manager of automotive MCUs at Freescale, said the MPC5674F went from concept to sampling in just 12 months, and that on-chip integration and virtual sensing capabilities reduce the need for external components, helping to reduce system cost by nearly 30% over conventional systems. Klein noted that precise fuel control in common rail diesel injection systems requires complex calculations to determine fuel injection timing, air volume and pressure, engine temperature and battery voltage. The MPC5674F offers 64-channel dual enhanced timing units with 30K dedicated RAM to handle complex engine timing events. Tuning gasoline engines for maximum fuel efficiency requires precise control of spark and fuel, using advanced calculations to govern spray timing, air volume and temperature. Running engines leaner – with less fuel and more air – can help improve mileage but also can generate more knocking, especially when the engine is not producing torque. Knock detection techniques include in-cylinder pressure sensing, vibration sensors, and spark plug ionization, all of which require extensive digital filtering and calculations. Klein said pressure sensing, in particular, requires multiple A/Ds and large RAM and flash arrays to handle large quantities of data and complex algorithms.Klein said the MPC5674F’s high level of integration enables engine designers to implement virtual sensors and avoid using separate knock detection ASICs, further reducing system cost. Government standards and regulations, such as the Euro IV, V and VI emissions standards, require cleaner burning engines that curb greenhouse gas emissions. Higher-precision tuning calls for a higher number of calibration tables and diagnostic information, which results in a need for larger memory.

Klein said 4 MB of on-chip flash provides sufficient non-volatile memory to support computationally intensive modeling environments and auto code generation, eliminating the need for off-chip memory.The MPC5674F is packaged in a 416-pin PBGA. Pricing wasn’t available.Chrysler adopts Freescale VA tool suite

Chrysler is using VA-Harness and VA-Complexity Management, the first two commercialized components of Freescale’s Virtual Architect (VA) tool suite. Chrysler and Freescale will work together on other components of the suite expected to be released over the next 12 months from Freescale’s Virtual Garage program www.freescale.com/virtualgarage.
Freescale said the VA tools help to ensure synchronization of design data and product planning data to reduce complexity, reduce errors, improve accuracy of service diagnostics, and lower warranty costs. VA-Harness and VA-Complexity Management (VA-CM) enable a complexity driven wire harness design process to help ensure that every orderable vehicle has the required set of wire harnesses. Freescale senior VP Henri Richard noted that in the typical design environment, each domain – sensors, wiring harnesses, communications busses, electronic control units, actuators, etc. – operates semi-autonomously, thus a change in the architectural design of a component in one domain typically requires time-consuming manual coordination between engineers of different domains.As car companies add more electronic features for differentiation, they face not only system complexity but also product complexity, according to Richard. “This transition has put automobile manufacturers increasingly in the role of system integrator,” and the tool suite enables smoother systems integration.The VA tool suite lets system engineers specify vehicle level EE performance requirements, communicate and collaborate with other EE engineering design domains, and conduct performance requirement validations. “This helps to ensure synchronization of design specifications (harness, network and ECU) for the vehicle, reducing the likelihood of costly errors,” Richard said."