LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Six technology startups are partnering with Honda Xcelerator at CES 2018 to demonstrate technologies that have the potential to transform mobility, focusing on challenges posed by autonomous vehicles and advanced connected cars. Honda is featuring partnerships with BRAIQ, DeepMap, DynaOptics, EXO Technologies, Tactual Labs, and WayRay at Honda’s Global Innovator Showcase.

As part of Silicon Valley-based Honda Innovations, Honda Xcelerator serves as a catalyst to discover and experiment with new technologies and business concepts. Honda Xcelerator provides startups with funding for prototyping, access to a collaborative workspace, and support from Honda mentors. Focus areas for Honda Xcelerator include Artificial Intelligence, Connected Vehicles, Energy Innovation, Human Machine Interface, Industrial Innovation, Personal Mobility, and Robotics.

“With our Xcelerator partners, Honda will explore technologies that can potentially transform its future products and services, and create new business opportunities,” said Honda Innovations CEO, Nick Sugimoto. “We encourage innovators who share our vision to meet with us at CES 2018.”

Honda Innovations recently announced its expanded engagement of startup ecosystems in Japan, China, Detroit and Europe. Honda supports outreach to startups in key innovation hubs globally through its partnerships with incubators MassChallenge (Boston, Mass.) and Drive (Tel Aviv, Israel), and through the equity crowd funding platform OurCrowd (Jerusalem, Israel).

BRAIQ: Personalizing the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Experience
Based in New York City and partnering with Honda Xcelerator in Detroit, BRAIQ bridges the gap between human preferences and artificial intelligence so that an autonomous vehicle can learn to personalize its driving style. Equipped with BRAIQ’s technology, existing interior sensors collect biometric information about passenger comfort as the vehicle travels, gathering data on acceleration, braking, steering, and more. This data is aggregated and analyzed securely in the cloud to add an essential layer of emotional intelligence on top of artificial intelligence. Honda Xcelerator and BRAIQ aim to personalize the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) experience, helping to increase passenger comfort and foster trust in automated driving technology. 

DeepMap: Mapping Technology for Autonomous Vehicles
DeepMap provides precise high-definition (HD) maps and real-time localization as a service to autonomous vehicles. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company is building a cloud-based platform to enable creation of three-dimensional (3D) HD maps for autonomous vehicles with Level 4 and Level 5 autonomy. The technology is highly scalable and efficient because it leverages sensors on autonomous vehicle fleets – rather than rely on a survey fleet.  By deploying multiple localization approaches through sensor fusion, the localization technology is resilient to sensor failures and different driving conditions. In partnership with DeepMap, Honda Xcelerator will explore solutions for automated driving safety.

DynaOptics: Free-form Optics for Road Safety
DynaOptics is a Singapore-based startup that harnesses the power of free-form optics to bring superior situational awareness and safety to roads. Customizable for different scenarios, DynaOptics’ lenses perform better than conventional lenses – sometimes up to 50 percent better – on various specifications, such as low-light performance, image quality or form factor. Honda Xcelerator and DynaOptics will collaborate to increase light to camera sensors so objects will be more quickly and accurately detected and classified.

EXO Technologies: High-Accuracy GPS Localization
EXO Technologies delivers high-accuracy, low-cost GPS solutions concentrated toward smart mobility. Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, EXO provides value to customers by improving in-car navigation and turn-by-turn directions, as well as providing precise positioning for connected and autonomous vehicle applications. The collaboration between Honda Xcelerator and EXO seeks to improve the accuracy of GPS localization by an order of magnitude without any additional hardware or terrestrial base stations.

Tactual Labs: Real-time Human Body Pose Sensing
Tactual Labs surrounds every surface with real-time human body pose sensing. Born from University of Toronto researchers in human-computer interaction, Tactual’s PRISM™ technology wraps a free-form object in accurate in-air, skeletal, and contact sensing that can “see”—and with Tactual’s software—can reconstruct the human hand and body in 3D. With Tactual Labs, Honda Xcelerator will aim to facilitate new user interface (UI) interactions and a greater awareness of human intent. Tactual solutions will provide drivers and motorcycle riders with superior convenience and safety by delivering increased functionality without the need for the user to “look” for controls or remove hands from the steering wheel or handlebars.

WayRay: Holographic AR Navigation System for Advanced Connected Cars
WayRay is a Swiss developer of a holographic augmented reality (AR) navigation system for cars. WayRay’s multicolored Holographic AR display device is designed to transform the windshield into a new medium of information. It has the greatest field of view (FOV) on the market and is capable of multicolored virtual objects creation. The system is far more compact than traditional mirror and lens technology, and allows for a high-resolution projection at a comfortable distance for drivers’ eyes. Moreover, the technology allows the solution to act like a fully-featured non-wearable augmented reality infotainment system. The system uses AR to display real-time indicators for detection of road obstacles and pedestrians, displaying points of interest or alerting the driver to hazards. Honda Xcelerator and WayRay will explore solutions to miniaturize AR head up display (HUD) optics, allowing deployment in smaller vehicles and improving performance.

Honda Xcelerator’s objective is to find unique, game-changing technology innovators to facilitate the creation of proof of concept prototypes and potential future opportunities with Honda development teams across Honda’s portfolio of products. Startups and entrepreneurs are invited to meet with Honda Xcelerator representatives at Honda’s booth (LVCC, North Hall – 7923) from January 9-12, 2018.  To learn more about Honda’s presence at CES 2018, visit Honda.us/CES2018.

About Honda Technology
Honda is creating technologies and products that advance the company’s clean, safe, fun and connected brand values. These efforts include advancements in automated vehicles, connectivity and ultra-low carbon mobility. In North America, the company has more than 450,000 vehicles on the road equipped with the Honda Sensing® or AcuraWatch™ safety and driver-assistive technologies and more than 400,000 vehicles featuring Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility.

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SOURCE Honda Innovations