Magna International Inc., one of the world’s largest auto-parts suppliers, is joining the consortium launched by BMW AG, Intel Corp. and Mobileye to develop fully automated driving systems by 2021.
Ontario, Canada-based Magna will help customize computing systems designed by the partners to integrate technology and customize the controller designed by BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye.
“Many of the autonomy challenges the industry is facing can’t be handled in isolation,” said Magna’s Chief Technology Officer Swamy Kotagiri.
“I am confident that the many strengths brought forward by each partner will contribute to the delivery of a self-driving platform the market can leverage. We are extremely excited to be one of the early integrators bringing our unique capabilities to the platform.”
(Delphi, BlackBerry partner on self-driving car tech. For the story, Click Here.)
Through this collaboration, the BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye plan to provide an autonomous vehicle platform that can be flexible and adoptable for integration by multiple automakers.
“We are very pleased to welcome Magna as the next major industry player to support our non-exclusive platform,” said Klaus Fröhlich, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Development said in a statement.
“This underlines the success story we have been writing over the past year with our unique cooperation and it gives us additional boost in creating a leading ecosystem for the industry of autonomous driving. Magna has a long-term experience in integrating complex systems seamlessly onto individual vehicle platforms, while securing differentiation for individual OEM customers.”
(Click Here for details about this BMW partnership with FCA, Intel and Mobileye.)
Magna has been a supplier to the BMW Group on a global scale for many years and a contract vehicle manufacturer for them for more than 15 years.
Earlier this year, BMW announced that the new BMW 530e plug-in hybrid will be produced at Magna’s contract manufacturing plant in Graz, Austria.
BMW, Intel and high-tech camera and software producer Mobileye, which the U.S. chipmaker acquired in a $15 billion deal earlier this year, have been lobbying suppliers and car manufacturers to collaborate on self-driving technology to speed development and share costs.
(Toyota, Intel form “big data” consortium. Click Here to learn what that’s all about.)
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in August it would join the group, while earlier this year the coalition added Delphi Automotive Plc and Continental AG, two of the world’s largest auto-parts suppliers.
I think all major OEMs should join. It doesn’t make sense to have multiple efforts to achieve the same goal.
Actually, I’d argue that at this stage multiple efforts are more likely to ensure the best technology comes to the fore v a potentially weak compromise. But clearly, as the leaders emerge, the field will narrow as it should.
Paul E,