Revolutionary Technology
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute of Korea (ETRI) announced on December 1 that it succeeded in developing a processor that is capable of processing 1 gigahertz of data on autonomous vehicles with less than 1 watts of power and it will commercialize it from next year. This is a revolutionary technology considering the fact that products from competitors overseas consume hundreds of watts of power.
The newly developed processor known as "Aldebaran" can detect and resolve malfunctions of electronic equipment on unmanned vehicles with a probability of 99 percent, according to the institute. The core and memory in the processor repeatedly checks the whole process of driving and repair problems. Its capacity to verify and resolve malfunctions satisfies the safety standards of the International Standard Organization (ISO) for the first time in the world.
Unlike existing imported processors that use hundreds of watts of electricity, Aldebaran is capable of processing 1 gigahertz of data while drawing only 0.24 watts of power, boasting an energy efficiency 100 times greater than its counterparts. In addition, Aldebaran’s semiconductor is 7 millimeters wide and 8 millimeters tall, allowing it to be easily installed in electronic components for smaller self-driving vehicles. The ETRI has decided to add a neural core artificial intelligence technology in Aldebaran later as well as develop a one-chip data processing technology.
Aldebaran is expected to be produced as a mass production chip at the end of next year after commercialization. NextChip, an automotive semiconductor manufacturer which jointly developed the new technology, will produce Aldebaran. Meanwhile, Unmanned Solution, another information technology firm, participated in the development of the new chip, while Samsung Electronics helped with the process of production.