LG Electronics joins US-based Ambarella for in-cabin sensing solution

Seoul, Dec 5: LG Electronics said on Thursday it has teamed up with Ambarella, a US artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor design company, to introduce an enhanced in-cabin sensing solution featuring driver and vehicle interior space detection technologies.

LG Electronics' driver monitoring system (DMS) will be integrated with Ambarella's Edge AI System on Chip (SoC), enabling a more efficient design while reducing costs, according to the Korean company.

Ambarella's Edge AI SoC processes data in real-time on local devices, integrating key functions, such as sensing and computation, reports Yonhap news agency.

LG Electronics said it plans to supply global automotive manufacturers with the company's high-performance DMS solution based on Ambarella's high-resolution image processing technology.

Its DMS solution uses cameras to closely detect and analyse the driver's gaze and head movements, identifying unusual behaviours to prevent potential accidents. When detected, the system alerts the driver, passengers and pedestrians with an alarm.

LG Electronics said it and Ambarella's partnership is based on their shared goal of safety technology and they will continue to work together to provide automakers with in-cabin sensing solutions that meet enhanced safety assessment standards, such as the New Car Assessment Programme.

LG Electronics estimated its third-quarter operating profit sank 20.9 per cent from a year earlier, missing market expectations, due to increased logistics and marketing costs. Its operating profit came to 751.1 billion won ($556.9 million) for the July-September period, down from 905.1 billion won from a year ago, the electronics major said in a regulatory filing.

The South Korean home appliance giant has made constant efforts to diversify its business portfolio and become a future-oriented company after withdrawing its smartphone business in 2021.