Seeing Machines and Ambarella collaborate on driver monitoring system solutions

This technology combination will bring Seeing Machines’ OMS and DMS technology solutions to Ambarella’s CV2x CVflow family of edge AI perception systems on chips. Ambarella’s CV2x-based reference design platform performs the vision processing and fusion of Seeing Machines’ driver monitoring software with forward-facing ADAS features to provide a complete, integrated DMS and ADAS solution.

Ambarella’s SoCs target both standalone and integrated DMS, OMS and forward-facing ADAS cameras. As part of this collaboration, Seeing Machines will enable its embedded Driver Monitoring Engine (e-DME) software to provide a highly optimised, accelerated “back end.” This e-DME back end will utilise the CVflow acceleration engine inside Ambarella’s SoCs, allowing forward-facing ADAS camera designers to seamlessly integrate Seeing Machines’ proven OMS and DMS technology.

This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic relationship where Ambarella and Seeing Machines intend to combine their skills, products, IP and experience in the domain of embedding AI vision algorithms to deliver driver and occupant monitoring system solutions.

Paul McGlone, CEO at Seeing Machines commented: “The contextual information that can be gathered with the fusion of inward and outward facing sensing is an important area for us as we seek to advance our safety focused technology solutions. Ambarella has made significant advances in forward-facing sensing, with its recent Oculii radar technology acquisition and its collaborations in the algorithm space, to make this a really interesting opportunity for Seeing Machines.

“The Ambarella reference design platform, targeting the headliner location, is a key integration point for DMS/OMS technology in both the processing and sensor space. We are excited to work towards offering our e-DME targeting Ambarella’s silicon and to also work closely on the fusion of our technology with companies focusing on external vehicle sensing.”

Fermi Wang, President and CEO at Ambarella commented: “Ambarella’s partnership with Seeing Machines, the leader of in-cabin monitoring solutions, offers our customers the most advanced forward-facing ADAS camera plus DMS solutions. Leveraging the industry leading performance per watt of our CVflow AI perception SoCs and Seeing Machines’ sophisticated AI-based driver and occupant monitoring algorithms will enable automotive safety systems with the very highest levels of accuracy and reliability.”