Interesting discussion between Chris Perkins, Senior editor at Motor1 and Carlos Montes Relanzon, Rivian’s senior manager for lighting systems, to talk about the first vehicle equipped with US-spec ADB, compliant with FMVSS 108.
It is not often that the general media talks in detail about ADB, especially in North America, which is why we’re publishing this link to the Motor1 article.
Carlos explained how they were able to quickly develop specific hardware and software in less than two years. Some of the latest systems from Audi and Mercedes use over a million LED pixels that can effectively project monochromatic images, but Rivian’s system is comparatively simple from a hardware perspective. Each headlight has 35 LEDs.
Relanzon says, “FMVSS requests for transition zones, and you need to design the PCB for those transition areas. Otherwise, if you bring a European matrix, it isn’t going to happen, it’s not going to work. You need to design it for this”.
Carlos comments, “The fact that Rivian was able to create and launch an ADB system in two years is remarkable. Typically, the auto industry moves slowly, but Rivian, being a smaller, newer and less bureaucratic company than mainstream automakers, can get things done more quickly. There’re fewer layers involved in the decision-making process (…) Rivian’s approach to hardware and software also offers a key advantage. The new R1T and R1S debuted a new ‘zonal architecture’, with fewer and more powerful ECUs grouped together in three geographical ‘zones’ handling all vehicle functions (…) Rivian software team allows the lighting team full access to all the vehicle’s sensors, and zonal architecture allows for very quick iterative updates throughout the development process. At a traditional automaker, making such changes often involves an external supplier, which stretches out the process over months. Rivian can instead do it in minutes.”
Let’s meet Carlos at our DVN Detroit event in September to continue the discussion (and I hope to test the car). We’ve already confirmed an OPmobility lecture to give their views about the lamp itself, and the challenges they tackled to develop it in just two years.