New-Tech Europe Magazine | Dec 2017

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Finland. L4MS is focused on providing inexpensive and

suppliers to develop and display the optimum logistics solutions to SMEs. And on the other side, virtual factories will support the decision-making process of manufacturing SMEs in selecting the best solution. “This is a unique opportunity for the SMEs to use robotics and enter the world of artificial intelligence as well as to network at the European level,” says Kalle Kantola, Vice President, Research at VTT.

flexible logistics automation for SMEs, which requires no infrastructure change, no production downtime and no special expertise. “The deployment cost and time of mobile robots will reduce by a factor of 10. It will give never before seen flexibility and agility to SMEs for small batch production and will double their productivity”, says the Coordinator of L4MS Ali Muhammad at VTT.

A double-sided platform for the logistics automation L4MS will provide an IoT platform called OPIL (Open Platform for Innovations in Logistics), integrated with a 3D simulator as a cloud service for complete virtualization of factories. The OPIL will contain the latest navigation, localization, mapping and traffic management services for rapid and cost effective deployment of logistics solutions. On one side, OPIL will support the automation L4MS is a one-stop-shop, where European manufacturing SMEs will be able to acquire the complete service package including, not only the latest technology (OPIL+3D simulator), but also technical support, business mentoring, training for workers and finance for the modernization of production. All these services are provided locally on the doorstep of SMEs through a network of regional Digital Innovation Hubs connected to the L4MS. The length of the L4MS acceleration program is 3.5 years, with a budget of EUR 8.8 million. Audi relies on Infineon: World’s first series production car with autonomous driving features

and corner radar. They send and receive high- frequency 77-GHz signals and forward these on to the central driver assistance controller (zFAS). A microcontroller from the AURIX™ family is a key component of the zFAS for reliable automated driving. AURIX enables to secure the connection to the vehicle data bus. It assesses and prioritizes data packets and initiates their processing in the fastest possible time. For example, it initiates

Infineon supplies key components for the Audi A8, the world’s first series production car featuring level 3 automated driving. The ability of cars to self-drive is split into a number of different levels: With level 3 (see explanation below), drivers can temporarily take their hands off the steering wheel under certain conditions. For example, the A8 allows this when parking and exiting, in slow-moving traffic or in traffic congestion. Thanks to microelectronics from

emergency braking based on data from radar and other sensor systems. The AURIX family of microcontrollers is especially ideal for this purpose thanks to high processing power and extensive safety features. AURIX microcontrollers are used in several controllers in the Audi A8: On the one hand, they control the functions for the engine. On the other, they operate in the Audi AI active chassis and in the electronic chassis platform, which controls the shock absorption. The microcontrollers also support activation of the airbag. In addition to the electronics for drive, driver assistance and chassis, other semiconductor solutions from Infineon are installed in the comfort and body electronics, such as for example LED drivers from the LITIX™ Basic family in the tail lights as well as bridge drivers from the Embedded Power family in the windscreen wipers.

Infineon Technologies AG, a car can take over in this kind of driving situation. “Around 90 percent of innovations in the car are driven by electronics and hence by semiconductors,” says Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division at Infineon. “We have been a recognized semiconductor partner of Audi for many years. Motoring is now safer, more convenient and more environmentally-friendly with “Vorsprung durch Technik” (Progress through Technology) and chips from Infineon. We are proud of our contribution toward the mobility of the future.” Key components for self-drive vehicles Various chips from Infineon are to thank for safe automated driving in the Audi A8: sensors, microcontrollers and power semiconductors. Radar sensor chips from the RASIC™ family are installed in the front

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