Smart radar startup MetaWave raises $10 million from Hyundai, Toyota, and others
Summary
“We’re working with all tier 1 [manufacturers] to develop technology that can be fully integrated into cars,” CEO and cofounder Dr. Maha Achour told VentureBeat in a phone interview. “We expect to begin low-volume mass production in the coming months.” Metawave’s all-in-one sensor module for self-driving vehicles, which is available in a number of configurations at different price points, comprises a camera, lidar, and a radar. By identifying the unique Doppler signatures generated by micro-motions, the sensor can recognize, classify, and track cars, pedestrians, cyclists, road animals, and other potential hazards at a distance, Achour said. “We apply a deep learning approach to that data and build signatures … from the neural engine.” That gives Metawave’s system a leg up on competing digital beam-forming radars, which are often computationally intensive and struggle to distinguish between distant targets. “[Lack of] regulation may slow things down, but after some countries start to take a lead and demonstrate the benefit of this technology, there’s no doubt that it’ll take off.” Metawave is the second startup for Achour, who holds a Ph.D. in physics from MIT and more than 100 patents in metamaterials.