Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.
STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN ― StradVision, an AI-based vision processing technology company for Autonomous Vehicles and ADAS, announced that it has obtained the ISO 26262 certification for automotive functional safety from TÜV Rheinland, a globally renowned third-party testing, inspection and certification company.
The ISO 26262 certification was established as a global standard by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2011 to minimize risks from electric or electronic system malfunction in vehicles. StradVision, which recently unveiled its new North American headquarters in Sterling Heights, has been recognized as a software supplier with a high level of functional safety, satisfying automotive customers' demands by meeting the requirements of ISO 26262 throughout the development and management process of its camera perception software SVNet.
“The automotive industry is transforming into a new business that provides new mobility, transportation, and various experiences in the car as a service, and software is the most powerful driver of this change,” StradVision CEO Junhwan Kim said. “The acquisition of ISO 26262 Functional Safety Management certification demonstrates StradVision's competence as a global leader in software, a key component of future mobility innovation.”
Currently, the automotive industry is focused on adopting various driver assistance features in vehicles to improve safety and convenience for drivers and pedestrians. As the performance of semiconductors and adoption of diverse sensors in vehicles continues to increase, the importance of safety standards for software, and their level of sophistication, has also risen.
“StradVision has successfully built its management system that delivers camera perception software meeting the functional safety requirements for automakers and automotive tier-1 suppliers,” said Frank Juettner, CEO of TÜV Rheinland Korea. "We are pleased to present ISO 26262 certification for the software that will contribute to enhancing functional safety in the automotive industry.”
StradVision, established in 2014 in South Korea, continues to accelerate the advancement of Autonomous Vehicles. SVNet, its AI-based vision perception software, achieves higher efficiency in memory usage and energy consumption and can be customized and optimized to any system on a chip (SoC).
The software that has been honored with the Gold Award at the 2021 AutoSens Awards for Best-in-Class Software for Perception Systems is currently used in mass production models of ADAS and autonomous driving vehicles that support safety function Levels 2 to 4, and will be deployed in more than 50 vehicle models from 13 OEMs worldwide.
StradVision Appoints Sunghyun Chang as Chief Financial Officer
StradVision has also announced the appointment of Sunghyun Chang as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In this position, Chang will lead StradVision’s financial team and is responsible for corporate financial actions and strategic growth initiatives, as well as investor relations.
StradVision expects to further strengthen its overseas business capabilities by recruiting Chang, who has accumulated experience in international financial management throughout his career.
“This year, we plan to expand our business in key markets where major automakers are located, including North America, and for this, we want to strengthen investment and recruitment in overseas subsidiaries,” StradVision CEO Junhwan Kim said. “We anticipate that the appointment of Sunghyun Chang, Chief Financial Officer, who has experience in financial management in various industries, will give us greater strength to achieve this strategic goal.”
Chang is a finance expert who started his career at KPMG, one of the four largest accounting firms in Korea. During his tenure at KPMG, Chang served as an overseas dispatcher in Europe for three years. Since then, he has worked for various companies and industries such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer; Gencurix, a molecular diagnostic solutions company, and B2Link, a K-beauty commerce company.
Chang holds a U.S. Charted Financial Analyst (CFA) certificate in addition to his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification, and has been mainly in charge of financial management of multinational corporations, attracting foreign investment for startups, and managing investor relations.
Some vehicles offer updated models every few years, others not so much. You can definitely put the Nissan Frontier in the second category.
Believe it or not, the last major redesign of the Frontier — Nissan’s mid-size pickup truck — came way back in 2005, an eternity in today’s automotive world.
Naturally, recent-year models were lacking compared to newer offerings from the competition, but finally in 2022 Nissan has decided to put that to an end.
The 2022 Nissan Frontier — which I recently was able to test — improves on the design of the vehicle, brings updates under the hood, and boosts the tech and safety offerings.
Read on to learn more about how the brand new Frontier compares to other leading trucks in this segment.
NASCAR’s bet on a spectacle in L.A. paid off
Many doubted NASCAR when this unprecedented event was announced. But between the amazing and historic venue that looked beautiful on TV (and no doubt in person, too), tremendous on-track action and musical entertainment from Pitbull and Ice Cube, and an impressive crowd, the Clash at the Coliseum is something that exceeded NASCAR’s wildest expectations.
Joey Logano put on a tough battle with Kyle Busch up front to take the inaugural win for the Next Gen car, and in the process NASCAR exposed itself to a California audience largely composed of people who don’t normally follow the sport. Here’s hoping they stick around and remain fans of the sport as we head into the Daytona 500 and beyond.
I can see the Clash coming back to the Coliseum next year, but we need to be careful to make these things special, and not try to do them multiple times a year. Make it a destination every February; and later, once it’s served its purpose, give another stadium a chance.
One thing is certain. The Clash, which had become an almost forgotten and frankly boring event at Daytona, has been revitalized, and we’re not going to back to the old ways again. Kudos to Ben Kennedy, the future of the sport’s leadership, for pushing the sport in bold, new directions despite some howling from legacy fans.
There’s been a ton of buzz about the Kia Carnival since it hit the market, with many — including myself — considering it the best minivan available, surpassing such heavyweights as the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica.
But what’s all the fuss about?
I’ll break it down with 5 key facts you need to know about this headline-stealing new vehicle, which is a major upgrade from the previous Sedona minivan offered by Kia.
WIth so many automakers making commitments to going fully electric in the years to come, one question is what will happen to hybrids once all the dust settles. WIll they still have a place in the automotive landscape?
I believe they will, though it will be a more limited role and only the best ones will survive and thrive. Not everyone will want to go electric in the short-term, so having quality hybrid options is a nice middle ground for this group.
On the luxury end of the world of sedans, one gem that is likely to continue shining is the Lexus ES 300h, a sedan that is a rare combination of roominess, strong fuel economy and an enjoyable ride. It has few true competitors as a midsize hybrid sedan, and is priced well in comparison to the few hybrids it does battle (Audi A6, Benz E-Class).
Changes for 2022 include the addition of the F Sport trim level to the hybrid ES, improved safety features, updates to the tech setup, and slight design changs.
I recently spent a week in the ES hybrid, an F Sport version to be exact, and I’m back with a full report.
I’ve long been a fan of the Nissan Pathfinder, a three-row SUV that has been around for nearly four decades and has often been ahead of the curve in terms of capability, design and technology. I have driven them on long road trips in the past and found them to be very comfortable and among the strongest 3-row SUVs for families traveling near or far.
But with its latest major updates coming in 2016, it was about time for a redesign. With an endless assault from rival SUVs unveiling their latest and greatest, you can’t stay stagnant that long in this business. So the 2022 model year brings us a brand new Pathfinder model — completely redesigned inside and out — that is more in tune with the current state of SUVs.
I recently spent some time behind the wheel of this new Pathfinder, and I’m back with a full report. WIll this new version live up to its past, and does it measure up to the seemingly endless competition in the segment?
StradVision, an AI-based vision processing technology company for Autonomous Vehicles and ADAS systems, announced today that it has established a North American Headquarters in Michigan, allowing them to better develop new market opportunities in the United States.
In making the announcement, StradVision CEO Junhwan Kim announced COO Sunny Lee is relocating to Michigan from South Korea, to lead the U.S. office, and has been appointed CEO of StradVision Technology USA, established in 2018 as the company’s hub for technology development. As the leader of operation and technology development in the U.S., Lee is responsible for the expansion of business, and significant strengthening of the business and engineering team to provide close collaboration and technical support to local customers.
“We are very pleased to establish our new North American Headquarters in Michigan, which is at the forefront of research and development in ADAS and the Autonomous Vehicle business. This is a major step for StradVision as we continue to explore partnerships with U.S.-based partners,” Kim said.
StradVision’s new office, located at 4544 Vineyards Blvd., Sterling Heights, will provide support and cooperation with North American-based OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers and semiconductor manufacturers.
— Press release courtesy of Toyota
An all-star lineup of drivers will campaign the twin Cadillac DPi-V.R race cars for Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) in its second season of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Daytona Prototype international (DPi) competition.
Renger van der Zande will co-drive the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R with Sebastien Bourdais for the full season. They will be joined by six-time Indycar series champion Scott Dixon and 2021 Indycar champion Alex Palou for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona to comprise a “Champions Cadillac” lineup.
Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn will be the full-time co-drivers of the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R and will be joined by Kevin Magnussen and Marcus Ericsson for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
“Our Cadillac drivers lead by example,” Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull said. “Each have already won on the world stage. They unselfishly mirror each other’s performance on and off track. Their equal experience combined with skill set is driven through zero agenda.
Thursday was a roller coaster of a day for Xfinity Series driver Brandon Brown and the Brandonbilt Motorsports team.
Unfortunately for them, they’re at the point of the ride where they’re barreling downhill and may be about to throw up. And it’s at least partially their own fault.
It all started Thursday morning when Brandon Brown tweeted: “I’m excited to welcome @LGBcoin_io aboard my No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro as our 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series full-season primary partner!” and included a link to a press release announcing the news.
“LGBcoin is a new, decentralized meme cryptocurrency similar to other meme coins and tokens such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, that has achieved a market capitalization of more than $300 million in less than six months. The patriotic coin dubbed “America’s Coin” aims to inspire positivity and unity, grounded in a strong belief of the American dream,” the press release reads.
“We are proud to support Brandon this season, to help him continue his American dream,” says James Koutoulas, founder of Typhoon Capital Management, in the release. “If we do our job right, when you think of us, and you hear, ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ you’ll think and feel, ‘Let’s Go America.’”
At first glance, this was great news. Every team wants a full-season primary sponsor, especially a small family team like Brandonbilt. But immediately, the NASCAR community started to raise red flags.
First, how could a meme coin afford to sponsor a race team for a full season? Is this a legit sponsor or just a “pump and dump” scam full of smoke and mirrors where a check will never clear, as we’ve seen in the past?
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