Mobileye Updates Electric Cars Over The Air

Mobileye has updated tens of thousands of Zeekr electric cars in China with what it calls “one of the world’s most advanced highway assist packages”.

It uses the vehicles’ seven high-resolution cameras to react automatically to a car ahead suddenly braking, the driver of a parked car opening their door, or a pedestrian by the side of the road.

The cameras provide a 360-degree view and “allow the Mobileye algorithm to consider the changing driving environment and intelligently react to numerous inputs and objects,” the company said in a statement.

The updates to Zeekr 001 EVs were delivered over the air (OTA), much like updates to a smartphone and required only a click by the driver to install.

“Consumers will come to expect the latest features via regular software updates, just as they do with their smartphones. Delivering new content over the air will become second nature over time,” said Mobileye.

The Jerusalem-based developer of driver assistance technologies was acquired by Intel Corporation for $15.3 billion in 2017.

Mobileye says it has invested in extensive R&D, engineering and testing capabilities in China and delivering hardware and software to Zeekr in under two years.

The system understands what to do if a vehicle slows or stops ahead, if another driver cuts in front and other “real road” driving situations.

Zeekr, founded in March 2021 to compete with Tesla and other electric vehicles, aims to produce 70,000 cars this year. In January it announced a cooperation with Mobileye.