Image: Sensible 4
Sensible 4 plans to integrate its platform into vehicles entering serial production from 2024 and has received investment from Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn’s Metaplanet VC.
After multiple trials in different weather conditions, Finnish self-driving tech company Sensible 4 is releasing its first autonomous driving platform.
The company said the software platform, called Dawn, enables autonomous driving in any weather condition without the need for lane markings. It plans to integrate Dawn into vehicles entering serial production from 2024 with its current customers and new original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The announcement follows multiple autonomous driving trials conducted by the autotech firm in extreme weather conditions to fine-tune its capabilities.
During a pilot project in Finland, self-driving vehicles using Sensible 4’s tech encountered extreme weather conditions such as temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius, heavy snowfalls and slippery roads.
The company also put its tech to the test against the extremes of the Arctic Circle. Sensible 4 launched a long-term self-driving service in the town of Bodø, Norway, which has a subpolar climate that changes dramatically throughout the year.
Following these trials and testing in simulators, Sensible 4 CEO Harri Santamala said the software can now be used by OEMs as part of their production line planning.
“This means we can actively start addressing the transport challenges of today, such as driver shortage, whilst providing a sustainable solution that will help the planet in the future,” he added.
Commercial operations
Sensible 4 said its Dawn software is a level 4 autonomous driving platform. Under the Society of Automotive Engineers’ levels of driving automation, level 4 means the vehicle can drive without human assistance in limited conditions.
Dawn also enables a single remote operator to supervise and control multiple vehicles from a control centre, providing an efficient operation for commercial use.
The company said its software could enable last-mile transport of goods and people in the form of autonomous industrial transport, delivery vehicles and shuttle buses.
In July, it was revealed that the EU is working on technical rules to ensure that automated vehicles are safe and technologically mature before they are placed on the market. These rules will also allow 1,500 fully driverless vehicles per car model to be registered and sold in a member state each year.
Santamala said Sensible 4 is currently working with several OEMs to bring Dawn software to Europe and Japan.
New investor
Last month, Sensible 4 revealed that it received fresh investment, bringing its total funding raised €16.7m. The latest funding was co-led by new investor Metaplanet VC and Japan’s NordicNinja VC, and further boosted by family offices and employees.
Metaplanet, owned by Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, is an early-stage investment firm that provides capital to deep-tech start-up founders. Metaplanet managing partner Rauno Miljand said Sensible 4’s platform sets an “unprecedented standard within the industry, due to its all-weather capability”.
“Ultimately, we believe that autonomous mobility will play a huge part in helping our planet and addressing the transport issues of today, such as driver shortage,” Miljand added. “We’re excited to see our partnership vision with Sensible 4 become a reality.”
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