Applied Intuition debuts AI software that helps autonomous systems navigate all terrains

Automotive software provider Applied Intuition has developed a new set of technologies to help self-driving vehicles safely maneuver through complex unstructured terrain. This solution can be used in production equipment by those in the automotive, trucking, construction, mining, agriculture and defense industries. This off-road autonomy offering offers simultaneous localization and mapping, object perception and tracking, sensor fusion and calibration, and safety planning and controls.

“As more industries look to adopt AV technology, we want our software to be at the forefront of off-road autonomy,” Applied Intuition co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Peter Ludwig said in a statement. “Our off-road platform combines the latest AI and ML advances with traditional safety and systems expertise to deliver top-level performance in the most challenging environments.”

Founded in 2017 by Ludwig and Y Combinator COO Qasar Younis, Applied Intuition specializes in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving. It develops tools to help customers bring safe and intelligent cars to market.

Many autonomous systems listen to trains on well-marked routes and navigate intersections under predictable conditions. But what about scenarios that don’t involve perfectly designed sidewalks? The industries that Applied Intuition works with often have to deal with challenging elements, such as dangerous or inaccessible areas or hostile or unpredictable environments. Is AI ready to tackle unstructured terrain?

The company also described some other challenges with off-road driving, such as bird’s-eye view limitations. This is common with autonomous systems on the road, because the road surface and any obstacles are converted into a two-dimensional view. However, off-roading makes this more difficult as the environment contains vertically stacked layers of information that cannot always be represented two-dimensionally. Accurate elevation is also a concern for identifying hazards such as slopes, ditches, or potholes. Systems must also be able to distinguish an object or element as permeable or obstructing, warning of incoming rocks or surface features such as muddy, rocky or icy roads. Finally, autonomous systems must adapt to varying weather conditions and vegetation growth—relying on maps alone won’t cut it.

Applied Intuition claims its off-road autonomy system addresses all of these limitations. Off-road sensing technology is at the core of this technology stack, built to accurately interpret and navigate the vehicle through unstructured natural environments. “These systems use a variety of sensors including lidar, camera and radar to continuously scan and interpret the terrain,” the company wrote in a blog post. “This sensory input is processed using a combination of learned and geometric algorithms to distinguish between different types of obstacles…”

Included is map-free localization, which uses real-time sensor data to locate the vehicle within its surroundings when traditional maps are unavailable or not detailed enough. The system has a universal planning architecture, adapting its strategies to different loads and types of terrain, mapping the right path and maneuvering necessary for each scenario. Lastly, it’s customizable and modular, so it will work with third-party systems and components can be swapped in and out as needed.