Quanergy and Cisco to work on Smart City concept
Solid state LiDAR maker to integrate sensor technology with Cisco's Smart CIty Connected Roadway in downtown Las Vegas
Quanergy, a maker of solid state LiDAR sensors, has announced that it will work with Cisco on its Smart CIty Connected Roadway efforts. Quanergy's LiDAR sensors and Qortex perception software will be integrated with Cisco's advanced networking capabilities to create IoT solutions for smart transportation.
Quanergy has commercialised an optical phased array (OPA) LiDAR based on an ultra low-cost mature silicon CMOS platform. The work builds upon an electronic beam steering DARPA-sponsored program, on which the core team worked in the early 1990s.
The patented S3 is described by the company as the world's only affordable solid state LiDAR sensor, designed to provide the highest level of performance, reliability, durability and dependability required in safety-critical applications such as autonomous vehicles.
Cisco's Smart City Connected Roadway solutions, powered by Cisco Kinetic, links people, processes, data and connected devices to create an intelligent network infrastructure that allows cities to use data analytics to gain new insights and make more informed decisions.
Quanergy's LiDAR sensors and software will integrate with the Cisco Kinetic platform. By working together, Quanergy and Cisco hope to advance intelligent transportation systems that examine how cities can improve driver and pedestrian safety as well as traffic flow.
Quanergy and Cisco have implemented a connected roadway experience solution in the city of Las Vegas that focuses on pedestrian safety.
The initial intersection is located on E. Clark Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets and uss Quanergy's M8 LiDAR sensor to track the flow of pedestrians and, in the future, it will also track cars and buses.
The intersection was live streamed at the Consumer Electronics Show (January 9-12, 2018 in Las Vegas).
In addition to pedestrian safety, Quanergy and Cisco have a number of other proof-of-concept deployments, including vehicle counting, vehicle queue length detection, road worker safety and wrong way driver, in developmental stages throughout the country.
"Las Vegas is a highly trafficked city, especially for pedestrians, so we are constantly working to implement innovative technologies to better understand and manage the flow of vehicles and people," said Michael Lee Sherwood, director of IT for the City of Las Vegas. "With the insights gained from Quanergy's integration with Cisco's Smart City Connected Roadway efforts, we've already seen the significant advantage that greater sensing and perception capabilities can have on the transportation systems that are integral to any thriving city."
"The goal of the Cisco Connected Roadway solution is to harness the power of technology and edge computing to promote faster data analysis and communication amongst vehicles, drivers, lighting and connected signage to help keep pedestrians, drivers and road workers safe," said Alison Gleeson, Senior Vice President of the Americas, Cisco. "Quanergy's LiDAR sensors and software provide unprecedented levels of awareness on the road, and will be a highly valuable asset to the project moving forward."
"Cisco has its sights set on preparing our cities and roadways for the next evolution in mobility," said Louay Eldada, CEO of Quanergy. "Integrating Quanergy's LiDAR with the Cisco Connected Roadway solution is an important step in updating outdated transportation systems and making them more intelligent. Together, we will play a leading role in making roads dramatically safer and more efficient for motorists, pedestrians and road workers."
The facility also includes calibration and final testing, and has the capability to increase capacity based on market demand.
"This manufacturing facility represents our most significant milestone to date in realising Quanergy's goal to bring capable, reliable, and affordable electronically-steered solid state LiDAR sensors to mass market," said Eldada.
The mass production of the S3 enables smart automation based on HD 3D sensing, classification and tracking.
The sales price of the S3 currently varies between several hundred and a few hundred dollars, depending on the quantity ordered. With higher levels of integration in future sensor generations on the product roadmap, Quanergy estimates the price will drop below $100 per sensor.
The S3 won the 2017 CES Best of Innovation Award.
