LG Electronics will jointly develop ‘stereo camera,’ a core component for self-driving vehicles, with a global premium car brand Mercedes Benz. This component will be applied to Mercedes Benz’ self-driving vehicle project. Accordingly, it is forecast to be an opportunity for LGE to have its technological power recognized in the global stage.
LGE announced on the 25th that it had recently exchanged a MoU for joint stereo camera system development with Mercedes Benz.
LGE had succeeded in preemptive stereo camera localization. Therefore, the MoU with Mercedes Benz is forecast to further accelerate LGE’s automotive component business. LGE, which completed the advanced development of stereo camera mass-production technology in November, has been examining the possibility of vehicular application. Following the first localization in Korea, LGE is promoting the joint development project with a goal of supply to a global carmaker
Unlike a monocular camera, stereo camera recognizes perspective. As a result, it is regarded as a core component of advanced driving assistance system (ADAS), such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB). When ADAS is implemented with stereo camera, the front area is accurately recognized, and thus lane departure can be prevented. In addition, it controls vehicles not to drive in excess of the speed limit as it recognizes traffic signs on the road. Ultimately, it functions as the ‘eye’ of self-driving vehicles.
LGE has been developing this component independently. As much as so, the company’s cooperation with Mercedes Benz will be promoted with a focus placed on the vehicular application and optimization. It is forecast that the component will be applied to cars as early as within the next two ? three years.
“It requires a number of optimization processes before this component is applied to cars. It is difficult to specify how long it will take,” said an industry insider. He forecast, however, “As Mercedes Benz is scheduled to develop a self-driving vehicle by 2020, the application will take place a few years before that.”
LGE anticipates that the MoU will serve as an opportunity for it to lead the automotive component market in the future as the demand for high-tech safety supporting systems is increasing across the world. In particular, as the company has joined hands with a global premium brand, it is evaluated that LGE’s technological power has been recognized in the global car industry.
“We have already secured top-level technological power, such as the unrivalled image recognition technology and general design capacity we have accumulated through our IT and home appliances sectors,” said Director Lee Wu-jong of LGE’s VC Division. Director Lee emphasized, “We will create premium components befitting premium cars based on our technological power recognized the world over.”
Song Joon-yeong | songjy@etnews.com