DriveU.auto, a company specializing in software-based connectivity platforms for teleoperation of robots and autonomous vehicles, has made an industry breakthrough by adding support for the AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) video codec to its Teleoperation Connectivity Platform. This marks the first time that such support has been offered in the industry, and it enables the platform to offer high visual quality, low data consumption, and low latency, making it ideal for teleoperation.
Teleoperation is a crucial part of the development, testing, and deployment of robots and autonomous vehicles, allowing for remote human supervision and intervention when necessary. However, the limitations of cellular networks can seriously impact the quality, continuity, and low latency required for the transmission of video between the autonomous vehicle and its remote operator. To address this, DriveU.auto’s technology uses patented cellular bonding and dynamic video encoding, which enables the required performance levels needed for autonomous vehicle and robot teleoperation.
The AV1 codec is an open, royalty-free video coding format designed for internet video transmissions. It offers higher quality and more consistent performance than rival codecs such as VP9 and H.265 standards, with at least 30% more compression efficiency than H.265/HEVC and 50% more compression efficiency than H.264. However, AV1 encoding is considered 4-10x more complex to perform than H.265, which, until recently, made it impractical in teleoperation scenarios that require low latency.
DriveU.auto’s implementation of the A1 codec on NVIDIA Jetson Orin delivers improved video performance without introducing additional latency, resulting in a solution optimized for robot and autonomous vehicle teleoperation that combines high-quality video, low-data consumption, and low latency, with no need to compromise. By implementing the most advanced technologies, DriveU.auto introduces a performance breakthrough, transmitting even higher quality video without compromising on latency or cost.
The latest version of the Connectivity Platform supporting AV1 has already been adopted by innovative, LA-based delivery robot operator Coco Delivery and deployed in their fleet of delivery robots. This has resulted in faster and better delivery service for their customers. According to Sahil Sharma, COO of Coco Delivery, DriveU’s support of AV1 will provide a major boost to their video quality.
Alon Podhurst, CEO of DriveU.auto, emphasized that the company’s laser focus on providing the best connectivity platform for its growing customer base means that they continuously push themselves to implement cutting-edge technologies and standards, as in the case of AV1. With the support for the AV1 codec, DriveU.auto is well-positioned to continue providing high-quality and reliable teleoperation solutions to its customers.