ZF today announced the debut of ZF coPilot, an intelligent advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that has been developed to enhance safety and driving comfort. Leveraging AI and equipped with a comprehensive sensor set, the technology allows vehicles to perform various automated driving functions.
Torsten Gollewski, head of autonomous mobility solutions at ZF, noted, “The ZF coPilot is equipped with artificial intelligence, a 360° sensor set, the powerful ProAI central computer and Nvidia’s Drive platform, thus offering driving and safety functions that surpass the performance of a regular Level 2 system for semi-automated driving. This enables us to achieve an improved quality in semi-automated driving.”
Set for volume production prior to 2021, ZF coPilot can be operated with voice commands and is designed to recognize traffic conditions, sense vehicle handling and monitor the driver, helping to pre-empt hazardous situations through active control intervention. The system is powered by the ZF ProAI central computer and the Nvidia Drive platform.
The ZF coPilot demonstration vehicle, which shows the functional scope of the system, can perform specific driving maneuvers autonomously such as entering and leaving highways under the appropriate conditions. The technology also combines advanced cruise control with active steering assistance and lane-keeping assist.
In addition, the coPilot can proactively change lanes, pass and merge. Furthermore, the system can continuously analyze vehicle surroundings, recognizing pedestrians, oncoming traffic, and intersections.
The system is equipped with sensors and functions that monitor the driver and can trigger warnings in the event of potentially dangerous situations. The ZF sensor set in the demonstration vehicle consists of a front radar, four corner radars, and a total of eight cameras. Two cameras are directed forward and one backward, two are integrated into each side mirror, and one monitors the driver.
To evaluate the data collected in real time, the system uses a ZF ProAI Gen2 central computer. With the Nvidia Drive Xavier processor at its core, ZF ProAI can integrate and control the pre-trained algorithms for all driver assistance functions. The system is flexible, scalable and updateable. If desired, OEMs can add features and functions of their own, or those developed by ZF.
