Swedish automotive systems expert NIRA Dynamics AB has partnered with Volkswagen’s CARIAD software division to develop the latter’s next generation of ADAS and autonomous driving functions. NIRA is no stranger to software-defined automotive solutions. The company specializes in utilizing modern vehicles’ existing hardware and sensors to create proprietary innovations like tire pressure monitoring, Tire Grip Indicator (TGI), and Loose Wheel Indicator (LWI).
Partnership With CARIAD
The partnership revolves around NIRA’s Road Surface Conditions software. This system analyzes data from road weather information systems, radar or satellite images, weather reports, and other connected vehicles to deliver a real-time prognosis of the road ahead. As described by Nira, knowing the nuances of the road surface enables ADAS features like automatic emergency braking, automatic cruise control, EV regenerative braking, and drivetrain configurations to perform more intuitively.
“Our sensor fusion technology provides high-precision data that is essential for the development of ADAS and autonomous driving functions, and we are excited to see how our collaboration with CARIAD will help shape the future of mobility,” said Lisa Åbom, CEO of NIRA Dynamics.
Grip Maps
NIRA and CARIAD will leverage the former’s Road Surface Conditions package to establish a “grip map,” a digital database of real-time road conditions to improve road safety. “CARIAD’s road condition map base is a significant step towards safer and more efficient driving, and we are proud that NIRA’s Road Surface Conditions is playing a key role in its development,” Åbom added.
The grip map includes cloud data gathered from Audi, Skoda, Seat, and Volkswagen customer vehicles. NIRA will process and anonymize the data before making it available for European and North American cars with SAE Level 2 and 3 autonomous driving functions.
Nira Dynamics In The News
NIRA forged a similar partnership with Finnish industrial expert Vaisala to infuse weather and environmental data into its Road Surface Conditions software. In addition, VW and NIRA started working in 2021 to analyze connected vehicle data from the VW Group’s Local Hazard Information service. In February 2023, Nira announced a strategic collaboration with Zeekr, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer owned by Geely Automobile Holdings. That strategic partnership stems from Nira Dynamics’ proprietary wheel detection algorithm. “The collaboration between two innovative companies like Nira Dynamics and Zeekr has great potential,” Åbom said. “We are now able to offer drivers globally a new level of safety.”
