Automotive supplier Valeo and Seeing Machines, a specialist in AI-powered operator monitoring systems, have announced a strategic collaboration to enhance their position in the driver and occupant monitoring systems (OMS) sector.
As part of this agreement, Valeo is transferring its driver monitoring perception software activity to Seeing Machines. This activity, which includes the acquisition of the German startup Asaphus, previously owned by Valeo, will now be managed by Seeing Machines and supports a leading position in perception software for interior monitoring.
The collaboration enables Valeo to incorporate Seeing Machines’ expertise in interior monitoring perception software into its own driver and occupant monitoring systems’ hardware and software architecture.
For Seeing Machines, the agreement is designed to strengthen its presence in Europe by leveraging Valeo’s existing infrastructure. The acquisition of a Berlin-based team should enable Seeing Machines to better serve the European market with advanced monitoring solutions, according to the company.
Marc Vrecko, CEO of Valeo’s brain division, said, “We are delighted with this collaboration with Seeing Machines. These last five years, with Asaphus, we have been able to grow the company, develop their AI perception technologies and build a solid position in interior monitoring systems. Combining our teams with Seeing Machines, we will benefit from the best-in-class perception software to integrate into our hardware and software architecture for driver and occupant monitoring systems.”
Additionally, the acquisition of Asaphus’s capabilities will provide the Seeing Machines with unique intellectual property, data and a specialized development team skilled in machine learning and AI for driving and sensing features.
Paul McGlone, CEO of Seeing Machines, said, “With our shared culture of innovation, this collaboration will enable our team to continue to lead the interior sensing market as we complement our highly specialized skills and work with Valeo, a world-leading automotive technology company, to deliver driver and occupant monitoring solutions to more automotive customers, globally.
“As regulations making driver monitoring systems mandatory across the EU come into effect this month, the market for enhanced safety and convenience solutions is expanding daily. Thanks to our proven, class-leading technology, we are very well placed to solidify our industry leadership position, supporting our customers in getting their programs successfully to production.”