Samsung, Harman Showcase DRVLINE Autonomous Driving Platform

Samsung is aspiring to become the leader in the autonomous driving market. At CES 2018, Samsung and its subsidiary, Harman International, introduced their advanced connectivity and autonomous driving platform called DRVLINE.

Samsung’s goal in launching DRVLINE is to position itself as the go-to partner for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers in the growing market of autonomous driving solutions. Of course, Samsung’s advanced software and hardware-based platform is thanks to Harman, who is known for designing and engineering connected products for automakers, consumers and enterprises worldwide.

It hasn’t been a year since Harman became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Galaxy Note 8 maker, but the two firms have already combined their teams and resources to push boundaries and come up with a host of connected car solutions for the vehicles of tomorrow.

“The cars of tomorrow won’t just change how we get around, they’ll transform our streets and society. They’ll bring mobility to people who need it, make our roads safer, and revolutionize our communities,” Samsung Electronics Chief Strategy Officer Young Sohn, who is also the Chairman of the Board at Harman, said in a press release.

Sohn added, “Building an autonomous platform requires close collaboration across industry, as one company cannot deliver on this enormous opportunity alone. The challenge is simply too big and too complex. Through the DRVLINE platform, we’re inviting the best and brightest from the automotive industry to join us, and help shape the future of the car of tomorrow, today.”

DRVLINE currently has several best-in-class components and technologies. Car makers can collaborate with Samsung and Harman in customizing or enhancing individual components and technologies for their upcoming models. At present, the modular platform has technologies designed to scale from Level 3 automation up to Levels 4 and 5. However, Samsung is working on to deliver solutions that are scalable and capable of lower-level autonomy to Level 5.

One of the products of DRVLINE platform that Samsung and Harman highlighted in their announcement is the forward-facing camera that the two developed together. The brand-new ADAS forward-facing camera system is engineered to meet the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) standards. It features lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking.

Aside from the DRVLINE platform, Samsung and Harman also showcased other technologies that are intended for the cars of the future. There’s the new Digital Cockpit platform that’s designed for all vehicle segments. It comprises a suite of flexible and scalable premium components that match today’s connected lifestyle. The two companies also announced a new telematics solution along with the industry’s first automotive-grade 5G-ready connectivity solution.

“Together with Samsung, we have increased innovation speed through scale, resources and competencies to help automakers focus on the car’s evolution from device-centric to experience centric,” Harman President and CEO Dinesh Paliwal said. “Harman has the heritage and expertise in automotive, and collectively Harman and Samsung harness our best technologies and global scale to accelerate how we better serve the needs of automakers in this rapidly evolving automotive market.”