Elektrobit to Provide Software to Baidu for its Apollo Automated Parking Project

author: Eric Walz   

China's Baidu, Inc. and Elektrobit (EB), a global supplier of embedded and connected software products for the automotive industry, today signed a strategic partnership in which EB will provide automotive infrastructure software for the Apollo Computing Unit (ACU), Baidu's advanced in-vehicle computing platform for autonomous driving.

The partnership was unveiled today during a signing ceremony between the two companies. 

EB is supplying its "EB tresos" automotive software to the Baidu ACU-Advanced Automated Valet Parking project, allowing autonomous vehicles to park themselves.

The ACU is crucial piece of hardware, serving as the in-vehicle computing platform for Baidu's Apollo open autonomous driving hardware and software, which is being developed as a collaborative effort with over 150 Apollo industry partners, including Chinese automakers. 

Apollo partners include Chinese automakers FAW Group, Sokon and electric automaker NIO. Global partners include BMW, Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen and Daimler and others.

"Baidu Apollo has made tremendous strides in just two years since its launch, with support from leaders in the automotive industry, in China and around the world," said Alexander Kocher, President and Managing Director, Elektrobit. "China is an important and strategic market for EB, therefore we are glad to bring our products and experience into the ACU. We are extremely proud to be a partner and look forward to working with Baidu as well as the whole industry to accelerate the development of automated driving based on Apollo."

EB tresos enables the development of Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) standard-compliant software for automotive electronic control units (ECUs). EB's software will allow car manufacturers and suppliers using the Apollo Computing Unit to speed developement of safe systems for Baidu's Automated Valet Parking.

EB's AUTOSAR acts as a standardized layer between the application software and hardware in a vehicle's ECU. According to EB, it enables the software to be largely independent from any chosen microcontroller and car maker, enabling its reuse for a variety of different ECU systems. 

Elektrobit is also working with Baidu Apollo in further areas and recently published a joint whitepaper on reliable and safe HD maps for autonomous driving.

EB is a wholly owned subsidiary of automotive component supplier Continental. The company has been a global supplier of embedded and connected software products and services for the automotive industry for the past 30 years. 

EB's software is has been installed in over 100 million vehicles powered such systems as connected car technology, navigation and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). 

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.