AEye and MoveAWheeL announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore an automotive safety solution that combines AEye’s Apollo™ long-range lidar technology with MoveAWheeL’s road-surface friction sensing platform.
The collaboration is focused on improving Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving performance by combining long-range object detection with real-time road-condition analysis. The companies plan to evaluate how Apollo™ lidar technology can work alongside MoveAWheeL’s friction-coefficient prediction system to help vehicles better respond to hazardous driving conditions including rain, snow, and black ice.
AEye’s Apollo™ is a software-defined 1550-nanometer lidar sensor capable of detecting objects at distances up to one kilometer. The compact sensor is designed for behind-the-windshield automotive integration. MoveAWheeL’s platform uses active acoustic sensing technology to estimate road-surface friction coefficients and generate predictive data that can support braking, acceleration, and vehicle stability-control decisions.
The companies said the combined technologies are intended to help expand the operational capabilities of ADAS and autonomous driving systems across a broader range of real-world and adverse-weather driving conditions.
Under the non-binding MOU, the companies plan to define technical evaluation activities, identify automotive customer opportunities, and explore go-to-market initiatives in select geographies. Any future commercial relationship would be subject to a separate definitive agreement.
AEye said its broader portfolio includes the STRATOS™ lidar platform, which can detect objects at distances up to one-and-a-half kilometers, along with its OPTIS™ full-stack perception platform designed to capture and interpret high-resolution 3D environmental data in real time.
MoveAWheeL develops AI-based road infrastructure and road-surface sensing technologies. The company’s offerings include infrastructure road-surface detection sensors, the EG-Way road-information service, and predictive road-surface sensors for vehicle acceleration and deceleration control applications.
KEY QUOTES:
“Physical AI depends on giving machines the ability to accurately perceive and understand the real world. Apollo™ was designed to deliver long-range, real-time 3D perception that helps systems see farther and react earlier in complex environments. By exploring the integration of Apollo™ with MoveAWheeL’s road-surface intelligence, we have the opportunity to create an even deeper understanding of the driving environment, particularly in the adverse conditions where advanced safety systems are needed most.”
Matt Fisch, Chairman And CEO, AEye
“While Lidar provides the ‘eyes’ for a vehicle to see obstacles, MoveAWheeL provides the ‘tactile sense’ to feel the road. By integrating our Physical AI with AEye’s long-range perception, we are creating a complete safety stack that remains robust even in the most treacherous weather conditions.”
Dr. Min-Hyun Kim, Founder And CEO, MoveAWheeL
