Page 28 - EE Times Europe Magazine - June 2025

28 EE|Times EUROPE

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING | PILOTS AND DEPLOYMENTS
Valeo and Mobileye Drive Volkswagen

Toward Scalable Level 2+ Autonomy

By Pat Brans
Volkswagen Group is working to provide Level 2+ autonomy in a range of vehicles

with the help of Mobileye and Valeo. The partnership signals a broader industry shift
toward scalable, cost-effective, software-defined driving automation.

ccording to Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua, According to Galves, crowdsourcing the mapping
in the progression of SAE automation function provides cars with information about the
levels, the biggest leap is from Level 2 geometry and features of the road, equipping the car
A driver-assist systems, which require to anticipate the need to slow down to take a curve, for
constant driver supervision, to Level 3 conditional example. “Our system takes the vehicle from perceiv-
automation, in which the car assumes responsibility ing the environment to making a decision on what
in certain scenarios. Improved location intelligence should happen with the acceleration and steering of
and incremental perception components make it the vehicle,” he said.
possible to bridge the gap between L2 and L3 with Valeo supplies the full sensor suite—including
a new set of features. To designate packages that surround-view cameras, front cameras, ultrasonic
remain under the supervision of a human driver but Mobileye’s Amnon Shashua sensors, and radar—as well as the parking software
offer more capability than traditional Level 2 sys- stack. It also manufactures the domain controller
tems, Shashua coined the term “Level 2+,” which has that houses the EyeQ6 and is responsible for software
since been folded into the SAE nomenclature. integration, cybersecurity, actuation interfaces, and
“There’s a huge range of what the car can do under vehicle-specific calibration.
Level 2,” Dan Galves, chief communications officer at “This is not just hardware,” Clément Nouvel, Valeo’s
Mobileye, told EE Times Europe. “The term Level 2+ head of market strategy for driving automation and
was intended to describe the edge of that envelope, CTO for LiDAR, told EE Times Europe. “We’re deliv-
where the car essentially drives itself in many sce- ering a full system: sensors, compute, integration,
narios, though the driver must still be attentive.” and validation. That capability is strategic for Tier 1
Volkswagen aims to equip vehicles on its MQB vendors like us who position themselves beyond being
platform with Level 2+ technology by 2027, enabling just parts suppliers.”
features such as hands-free highway driving, auto- Mobileye’s Dan Galves The integration allows the system to interpret its
matic lane changes, and enhanced safety maneuvers surroundings (from vehicles and pedestrians to lane
based on Mobileye’s latest Surround ADAS architec- markings and speed signs) and make real-time driving
ture. The initial rollout will not include LiDAR but decisions. Valeo’s technology ensures that those deci-
will be upgradable as sensor capabilities evolve. sions translate into reliable vehicle control through
braking, steering, and acceleration subsystems.
DIVISION OF ROLES: MOBILEYE AND VALEO Historically, OEMs built their own ADAS platforms
Mobileye provides the backbone of the technol- using components from multiple suppliers: radar from
ogy: the EyeQ6 system-on-chip and its embedded one vendor, vision processing from another, mapping
perception and decision-making software. This single from a third. The result was often disjointed: too many
processor, replacing multiple electronic control units ECUs, excess wiring, complex over-the-air update
(ECUs) found in conventional ADAS stacks, powers logistics, and slow turnaround for feature changes.
Mobileye’s Surround ADAS system and integrates “There were too many cooks in the kitchen,” Galves
crowdsourced mapping via Mobileye Roadbook. Valeo’s Clément Nouvel said. “OEMs had control, but integration of multiple

JUNE 2025 | www.eetimes.eu