Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at IEEE Spectrum robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please send us your events for inclusion.

ICRA@40: 23–26 September 2024, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

IROS 2024: 14–18 October 2024, ABU DHABI, UAE

ICSR 2024: 23–26 October 2024, ODENSE, DENMARK

Cybathlon 2024: 25–27 October 2024, ZURICH

Enjoy today’s videos!

At ICRA 2024, in Tokyo last May, we sat down with the director of Shadow Robot, Rich Walker, to talk about the journey toward developing its newest model. Designed for reinforcement learning, the hand is extremely rugged, has three fingers that act like thumbs, and has fingertips that are highly sensitive to touch.

[ IEEE Spectrum ]

Food Angel is a food delivery robot to help with the problems of food insecurity and homelessness. Utilizing autonomous wheeled robots for this application may seem to be a good approach, especially with a number of successful commercial robotic delivery services. However, besides technical considerations such as range, payload, operation time, autonomy, etc., there are a number of important aspects that still need to be investigated, such as how the general public and the receiving end may feel about using robots for such applications, or human-robot interaction issues such as how to communicate the intent of the robot to the homeless.

[ RoMeLa ]

The UKRI FLF team RoboHike of UCL Computer Science of the Robot Perception and Learning lab with Forestry England demonstrate the ANYmal robot to help preserve the cultural heritage of an historic mine in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK.

This clip is from a reboot of the British TV show “Time Team.” If you’re not already a fan of “Time Team,” let me just say that it is one of the greatest retro reality TV shows ever made, where actual archaeologists wander around the United Kingdom and dig stuff up. If they can find anything. Which they often can’t. And also it has Tony Robinson (from “Blackadder”), who runs everywhere for some reason. Go to Time Team Classics on YouTube for 70+ archived episodes.

[ UCL RPL ]

UBTECH humanoid robot Walker S Lite is working in Zeekr’s intelligent factory to complete handling tasks at the loading workstation for 21 consecutive days, and assist its employees with logistics work.

[ UBTECH ]

Current visual navigation systems often treat the environment as static, lacking the ability to adaptively interact with obstacles. This limitation leads to navigation failure when encountering unavoidable obstructions. In response, we introduce IN-Sight, a novel approach to self-supervised path planning, enabling more effective navigation strategies through interaction with obstacles.

[ ETH Zurich paper / IROS 2024 ]

When working on autonomous cars, sometimes it’s best to start small.

[ University of Pennsylvania ]

MIT MechE researchers introduce an approach called SimPLE (Simulation to Pick Localize and placE), a method of precise kitting, or pick and place, in which a robot learns to pick, regrasp, and place objects using the object’s computer-aided design (CAD) model, and all without any prior experience or encounters with the specific objects.

[ MIT ]

Staff, students (and quadruped robots!) from UCL Computer Science wish the Great Britain athletes the best of luck this summer in the Olympic Games & Paralympics.

[ UCL Robotics Institute ]

Walking in tall grass can be hard for robots, because they can’t see the ground that they’re actually stepping on. Here’s a technique to solve that, published in Robotics and Automation Letters last year.

[ ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab ]

There is no such thing as excess batter on a corn dog, and there is also no such thing as a defective donut. And apparently, making Kool-Aid drink pouches is harder than it looks.

[ Oxipital AI ]

Unitree has open-sourced its software to teleoperate humanoids in VR for training-data collection.

[ Unitree / GitHub ]

Nothing more satisfying than seeing point-cloud segments wiggle themselves into place, and CSIRO’s Wildcat SLAM does this better than anyone.

[ IEEE Transactions on Robotics ]

A lecture by Mentee Robotics CEO Lior Wolf, on Mentee’s AI approach.

[ Mentee Robotics ]

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images)

Companies are often caught between wanting to cut emissions but also grow profits. But for airlines, these two different imperatives actually align. Cutting carbon emissions means burning less fuel and spending less money buying fuel. This is why Lufthansa has been copying a trick from the animal kingdom: applying a special film that mimics sharkskin to parts of its aircraft.

When it comes to decarbonization, reducing the emissions of air travel is both a high priority and something of a difficult task. Globally, air traffic accounts for about 2.5 percent of carbon emissions, but since those emissions are emitted at altitude, studies have found that the warming effect may be almost twice as large.

The problem is that it's extremely difficult to rival the volumetric energy density of jet fuel, which contains almost 50 times as many megajoules per liter than alternatives like hydrogen, ethanol, or lithium-ion batteries. That's less of a problem for ground or sea transportation, where weight and volume is less important, but it's a real stumbling block for switching jet airliners to a different fuel source.

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Electric school buses that were supposed to cut one Maryland county school system's transit costs in half actually cost the system millions of dollars. A report by the Montgomery County Office of the Inspector General found the buses were often delivered late and frequently had mechanical issues that "rendered them inoperable for extended periods." As a result, the school system had to spend more than $14.7 million to buy 90 diesel buses to cover routes. The delays and repair issues entitled the school system to more than $372,000 in penalties from the contractor, but no administrator ever pursued it.

The post Brickbat: Electrifying appeared first on Reason.com.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

Enlarge / You should not do this while you are driving. (credit: Getty Images)

Distracted driving isn't only a result of drivers using their phones when they should be paying attention. But it is a significant cause of the problem, accounting for at least 13 percent of distracted driving deaths and rising to 1 in 5 for young drivers. Now, a study conducted with customers of the Progressive insurance company has tested different strategies to get those drivers to put their phones down in the car, and it found two that significantly reduced handheld use, with the effect persisting after the end of the study.

The study recruited 1,653 customers already enrolled in its Progressive Snapshot program, which involves the use of a smartphone app that detects phone use while driving. Before the start of the trial, the participants all averaged more than 6.4 minutes per hour of handheld use while driving—Progressive says its safest customers have handheld usage of less than 1 minute per hour while driving.

Five test groups

The drivers were split into five different arms, each with increasing amounts of intervention. The first group just received education about the problem, such as statistics about state laws that ban phone use while driving, increased crash risks, and recommendations to use hands-free options like a phone mount or casting interface instead.

Read 9 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

In the automotive industry, AI-enabled automotive devices and systems are dramatically transforming the way SoCs are designed, making high-quality and reliable die-to-die and chip-to-chip connectivity non-negotiable. This article explains how interface IP for die-to-die connectivity, display, and storage can support new developments in automotive SoCs for the most advanced innovations such as centralized zonal architecture and integrated ADAS and IVI applications.

AI-integrated ADAS SoCs

The automotive industry is adopting a new electronic/electric (EE) architecture where a centralized compute module executes multiple applications such as ADAS and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI). With the advent of EVs and more advanced features in the car, the new centralized zonal architecture will help minimize complexity, maximize scalability, and facilitate faster decision-making time. This new architecture is demanding a new set of SoCs on advanced process technologies with very high performance. More traditional monolithic SoCs for single functions like ADAS are giving way to multi-die designs where various dies are connected in a single package and placed in a system to perform a function in the car. While such multi-die designs are gaining adoption, semiconductor companies must remain cost-conscious as these ADAS SoCs will be manufactured at high volumes for a myriad of safety levels. One example is the automated driving central compute system. The system can include modules for the sensor interface, safety management, memory control and interfaces, and dies for CPU, GPU, and AI accelerator, which are then connected via a die-to-die interface such as the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe). Figure 1 illustrates how semiconductor companies can develop SoCs for such systems using multi-die designs. For a base ADAS or IVI SoC, the requirement might just be the CPU die for a level 2 functional safety. A GPU die can be added to the base CPU die for a base ADAS or premium IVI function at a level 2+ driving automation. To allow more compute power for AI workloads, an NPU die can be added to the base CPU or the base CPU and GPU dies for level 3/3+ functional safety. None of these scalable scenarios are possible without a solution for die-to-die connectivity.

Fig. 1: A simplified view of automotive systems using multi-die designs.

The adoption of UCIe for automotive SoCs

The industry has come together to define, develop, and deploy the UCIe standard, a universal interconnect at the package-level. In a recent news release, the UCIe Consortium announced “updates to the standard with additional enhancements for automotive usages – such as predictive failure analysis and health monitoring – and enabling lower-cost packaging implementations.” Figure 2 shows three use cases for UCIe. The first use case is for low-latency and coherency where two Network on a Chip (NoC) are connected via UCIe. This use case is mainly for applications requiring ADAS computing power. The second automotive use case is when memory and IO are split into two separate dies and are then connected to the compute die via CXL and UCIe streaming protocols. The third automotive use case is very similar to what is seen in HPC applications where a companion AI accelerator die is connected to the main CPU die via UCIe.

Fig. 2: Examples of common and new use cases for UCIe in automotive applications.

To enable such automotive use cases, UCIe offers several advantages, all of which are supported by the Synopsys UCIe IP:

• Latency optimized architecture: Flit-Aware Die-to-Die Interface (FDI) or Raw Die-to-Die Interface (RDI) operate with local 2GHz system clock. Transmitter and receiver FIFOs accommodate phase mismatch between clock domains. There is no clock domain crossing (CDC) between the PHY and Adapter layers for minimum latency. The reference clock has the same frequency for the two dies.
• Power-optimized architecture: The transmitter provides the CMOS driver without source termination. IT offers programmable drive strength without a Feed-Forward Equalizer (FFE). The receiver provides a continuous-time linear equalizer (CTLE) without VGA and decision feedback equalizer (DFE), clock forwarding without Clock and Data Recovery (CDR), and optional receiver termination.
• Reliability and test: Signal integrity monitors track the performance of the interconnect through the chip’s lifecycle. This can monitor inaccessible paths in the multi-die package, test and repair the PHY, and execute real time reporting for preventative maintenance.

Synopsys UCIe IP is integrated with Synopsys 3DIC Compiler, a unified exploration-to-signoff platform. The combination eases package design and provides a complete set of IP deliverables, automated UCIe routing for better quality of results, and reference interposer design for faster integration.

Fig. 3: Synopsys 3DIC Compiler.

New automotive SoC design trends for IVI applications

OEMs are attracting consumers by providing the utmost in cockpit experience with high-resolution, 4K, pillar-to-pillar displays. Multi-Stream Transport (MTR) enables a daisy-chained display topology using a single port, which consists of a single GPU, one DP TX controller, and PHY, to display images on multiple screens in the car. This revision clarifies the components involved and maintains the original meaning. This daisy-chained set up simplifies the display wiring in the car. Figure 4 illustrates how connectivity in the SoC can enable multi-display environments in the car. Row 1: Multiple image sources from the application processor are fed into the daisy-chained display set up via the DisplayPort (DP) MTR interface. Row 2: Multiple image sources from the application processor are fed to the daisy-chained display set up but also to the left or right mirrors, all via the DP MTR interface. Row 3: The same set up in row 2 can be executed via the MIPI DSI or embedded DP MTR interfaces, depending on display size and power requirements.

An alternate use case is USB/DP. A single USB port can be used for silicon lifecycle management, sentry mode, test, debug, and firmware download. USB can be used to avoid the need for very large numbers of test pings, speed up test by exceeding GPIO test pin data rates, repeat manufacturing test in-system and in-field, access PVT monitors, and debug.

Fig. 4: Examples of display connectivity in software-defined vehicles.

ISO/SAE 21434 automotive cybersecurity

ISO/SAE 21434 Automotive Cybersecurity is being adopted by industry leaders as mandated by the UNECE R155 regulation. Starting in July 2024, automotive OEMs must comply with the UNECE R155 automotive cybersecurity regulation for all new vehicles in Europe, Japan, and Korea.

Automotive suppliers must develop processes that meet the automotive cybersecurity requirements of ISO/SAE 21434, addressing the cybersecurity perspective in the engineering of electrical and electronic (E/E) systems. Adopting this methodology involves embracing a cybersecurity culture which includes developing security plans, setting security goals, conducting engineering reviews and implementing mitigation strategies.

The industry is expected to move towards enabling cybersecurity risk-managed products to mitigate the risks associated with advancement in connectivity for software-defined vehicles. As a result, automotive IP needs to be ready to support these advancements.

Synopsys ARC HS4xFS Processor IP has achieved ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity certification by SGS-TṺV Saar, meeting stringent automotive regulatory requirements designed to protect connected vehicles from malicious cyberattacks. In addition, Synopsys has achieved certification of its IP development process to the ISO/SAE 21434 standard to help ensure its IP products are developed with a security-first mindset through every phase of the product development lifecycle.

Conclusion

The transformation to software-defined vehicles marks a significant shift in the automotive industry, bringing together highly integrated systems and AI to create safer and more efficient vehicles while addressing sophisticated user needs and vendor serviceability. New trends in the automotive industry are presenting opportunities for innovations in ADAS and IVI SoC designs. Centralized zonal architecture, multi-die design, daisy-chained displays, and integration of ADAS/IVI functions in a single SoC are among some of the key trends that the automotive industry is tracking. Synopsys is at the forefront of automotive SoC innovations with a portfolio of silicon-proven automotive IP for the highest levels of functional safety, security, quality, and reliability. The IP portfolio is developed and assessed specifically for ISO 26262 random hardware faults and ASIL D systematic. To minimize cybersecurity risks, Synopsys is developing IP products as per the ISO/SAE 21434 standard to provide automotive SoC developers a safe, reliable, and future proof solution.

The post Keeping Up With New ADAS And IVI SoC Trends appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

VinFast, a Vietnamese automaker that builds electric vehicles, announced in July that it would not begin production at its North Carolina plant for another four years. While the news is certainly a setback, the disappointment is compounded by the fact that the state is trying to bulldoze a number of private homes, and a church, to make the project happen.

In March 2022, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced that VinFast would build its first North American plant in Chatham County. The company would spend $4 billion and create 7,500 jobs, with production from the completed factory set to begin in July 2024. At its peak, the facility would be capable of producing 150,000 vehicles per year.

In exchange, North Carolina lawmakers agreed to give the company $1.25 billion in incentives, including $450 million for infrastructure, including "roadway improvements" and building out the water and sewer capacity; $400 million from the county; and a $316 million state grant paid out over 32 years, linked to the company's job creation promises. In effect, North Carolina taxpayers would be financing over 30 percent of the project.

President Joe Biden called the project "the latest example of my economic strategy at work." CNBC lauded the state's Democratic governor and Republican Legislature for "managing to put aside their very deep political divisions to boost business and the economy" when it named North Carolina America's Top State for Business.

But within two years, the deal was on shaky ground. The company announced in March 2023 that it would not be able to begin production at the factory until at least 2025 "because we need more time to complete administrative procedures," according to a company spokesperson.

Then in July 2024, in a press release about manufacturing output in the previous quarter, VinFast announced that it had "made the strategic decision to adjust the timeline for the launch of its North Carolina manufacturing facility, which is now expected to begin production in 2028," in order to "optimize its capital allocation and manage its short-term spending more effectively."

While this is disappointing news for many—company executives, shareholders, North Carolina state officials—it's worse for residents in the area.

Many of the state and county incentives are dependent upon VinFast meeting certain metrics: While the state doled out $125 million to reimburse the company for site preparation costs, it can claw back that entire amount if VinFast fails to hire at least 3,875 people—just over 50 percent of the required total. There are further clawback provisions if it doesn't hire at least 6,000 people and doesn't invest at least $2 billion into the project.

But even if the deal falls apart and the state gets its money back, some things can't be undone. As part of the deal, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) would conduct "roadway improvements" at the future site of the facility. As detailed in an August 2022 project overview, "private property is needed to construct the improvements proposed by the roadway project." And while the NCDOT "works to minimize impacts such as the number of homes and businesses displaced by a road project, some impacts are unavoidable."

In total, the state expected that the roadwork would "impact" five businesses, 27 homes, and Merry Oaks Baptist Church, which had stood since 1888. This meant the state was authorized to purchase the properties from the owners—or if the owners refused to sell, the state could simply take the properties through eminent domain.

Eminent domain, authorized by the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, allows government entities to seize private property for public use, as long as the owner receives "just compensation." Of course, the only thing that separates this from a normal real estate transaction is that the use of eminent domain implies that the property owner did not want to sell but was forced to anyway.

While an electric car factory does not qualify as a "public use," the state is planning to bulldoze the houses, businesses, and church to make way for a new roadway interchange that will accommodate traffic to and from the site. Of course, under the U.S. Supreme Court's 2005 decision in Kelo v. New London, the state would also have been justified to seize property to give to a purely private party, with Justice John Paul Stevens writing that "there is no basis for exempting economic development from our traditionally broad understanding of public purpose."

In fact, that seems to be just what happened: In July, after VinFast announced its latest delay, the Raleigh News & Observer reported that so far the state had spent $96 million—nearly all of it on site preparation and infrastructure—and purchased four homes, with negotiations ongoing with other homeowners and two businesses. And sadly, "North Carolina has acquired two businesses and Merry Oaks Baptist Church through eminent domain, meaning negotiations fell short and the state took over the land after paying the previous owners fair market values assessed by a state-approved appraiser."

In July 2023, VinFast offered to donate up to three acres of land from its 2,000-acre parcel to Merry Oaks Baptist Church so the congregation could relocate. But a better solution would have been for VinFast to simply shoulder the burden of development in the first place, first by footing the bill for the project itself and then by obtaining land where the government did not forcibly remove any obstacles in the way.

The post VinFast Delays Production After North Carolina Seizes Property for Factory Site appeared first on Reason.com.

Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance has been in the news for an old clip of him talking about how the tax code should punish adults without kids. While Vance's proposal probably aims to address demographic concerns, it represents a misguided approach that contradicts fundamental principles of economic freedom and fairness.

And you know what? That's precisely what our tax code already does, in this case and many others.

Using the tax code to "reward" parents and "punish" nonparents is at odds with the idea of a neutral, efficient tax system. In an ideal and fair world, the tax base would be broad but taxed at a low rate. People making the same income should be paying the same level of taxes no matter how they choose to live their lives.

Unfortunately, the tax code is neither fair nor neutral. It punishes and rewards all sorts of behaviors based on what government officials decide is good or bad.

For instance, the tax code does, in fact, treat people with kids more favorably than it treats those who do not have kids.* There's the child tax credit, of course. Then there's the earned income tax credit, which is more generous for families with children than those without. And there is no shortage of other provisions, such as a very significant deduction for heads of households and another for dependent care, which do the same thing.

It's hard to know what Vance's proposal really entails. Does he want another surtax on childless parents? Does he want to expand the child tax credit and make it a universal basic income like many conservatives and progressives want? It's also unclear whether he is simply failing to see that our tax code already delivers on his wishes and punishes childless adults. Either way, I assume he is well intentioned and that he is rightfully concerned about the decline in fertility we are witnessing not just in this country but across the world.

Unfortunately, punishing childless parents with additional taxes wouldn't boost fertility. For one thing, we've had a child tax credit since the 1990s, and the tax break has been regularly extended. That hasn't encouraged people to have more kids.

That's not unique to the child tax credit. Lots of evidence exists showing that government programs of all sorts meant to encourage, reward, or stimulate the supply of babies usually fail. One of the most dramatic examples is South Korea. The country has spent over $200 billion on such policies over the past 16 years, and fertility rates are still falling.

There isn't any doubt that more people, and hence more babies, are a boon for our lives and our economy. But that alone isn't a good reason for government subsidies. And while raising kids is expensive, that's no justification for a government tax break, either.

Besides, careful studies have shown the cost of raising a child in America has been decreasing for six decades. In the end, rather than rewarding families with lesser taxes at the expense of childless adults, I would encourage advocates to focus on removing existing government barriers—like overzealous policies that make child care more expensive without making kids measurably safer—that make life more complicated for families.

Ultimately, these are only secondary aspects of a much bigger debate. Our tax code is incredibly unfair. It's not just childless adults that face a surcharge compared to parents. Tax breaks for homeowners mean that renters pay more money for the same amount of housing. Households which include a college student pay less in taxes. People who can afford an electric vehicle can secure a tax break that others cannot.

These tax breaks for some are not just unfair to the taxpayers who don't get them—they also turn our tax code into a complicated mess that requires many millions of collective hours to comply with. Instead of adding more complexity and bias, we should be moving in the opposite direction—toward a simpler, flatter, and more neutral code that treats all taxpayers equally.

Using the tax code as a tool for social engineering is misguided. It leads to economic inefficiencies and infringes on individual liberty. Rather than doubling down on the problematic aspects of our current system, we should be working toward comprehensive reform. Only then can we hope to see taxes as something that truly serves the interests of all Americans, regardless of their personal choices.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

*CORRECTION: The original version of this article misstated in part who benefits more from the current tax code.

The post J.D. Vance Wants To Control You With Taxes appeared first on Reason.com.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

When it comes to motorsports, the need for speed isn’t only on the racetrack. Engineers who support race teams also need to work at a breakneck pace to fix problems, and that’s something Aakhilesh Singhania relishes.

Singhania is a senior applications engineer at Bosch Engineering, in Novi, Mich. He develops and supports electronic control systems for hybrid race cars, which feature combustion engines and battery-powered electric motors.

Aakhilesh Singhania

Employer:

Bosch Engineering

Occupation:

Senior applications engineer

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, India; master’s degree in automotive engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

His vehicles compete in two iconic endurance races: the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Daytona Beach, Fla., and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. He splits his time between refining the underlying technology and providing trackside support on competition day. Given the relentless pace of the racing calendar and the intense time pressure when cars are on the track, the job is high octane. But Singhania says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’ve done jobs where the work gets repetitive and mundane,” he says. “Here, I’m constantly challenged. Every second counts, and you have to be very quick at making decisions.”

An Early Interest in Motorsports

Growing up in Kolkata, India, Singhania picked up a fascination with automobiles from his father, a car enthusiast.

In 2010, when Singhania began his mechanical engineering studies at India’s Manipal Institute of Technology, he got involved in the Formula Student program, an international engineering competition that challenges teams of university students to design, build, and drive a small race car. The cars typically weigh less than 250 kilograms and can have an engine no larger than 710 cubic centimeters.

“It really hooked me,” he says. “I devoted a lot of my spare time to the program, and the experience really motivated me to dive further into motorsports.”

One incident in particular shaped Singhania’s career trajectory. In 2013, he was leading Manipal’s Formula Student team and was one of the drivers for a competition in Germany. When he tried to start the vehicle, smoke poured out of the battery, and the team had to pull out of the race.

“I asked myself what I could have done differently,” he says. “It was my lack of knowledge of the electrical system of the car that was the problem.” So, he decided to get more experience and education.

Learning About Automotive Electronics

After graduating in 2014, Singhania began working on engine development for Indian car manufacturer Tata Motors in Pune. In 2016, determined to fill the gaps in his knowledge about automotive electronics, he left India to begin a master’s degree program in automotive engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

He took courses in battery management, hybrid controls, and control-system theory, parlaying this background into an internship with Bosch in 2017. After graduation in 2018, he joined Bosch full-time as a calibration engineer, developing technology for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Transitioning into motorsports required perseverance, Singhania says. He became friendly with the Bosch team that worked on electronics for race cars. Then in 2020 he got his big break.

That year, the U.S.-based International Motor Sports Association and the France-based Automobile Club de l’Ouest created standardized rules to allow the same hybrid race cars to compete in both the Sportscar Championship in North America, host of the famous Daytona race, and the global World Endurance Championship, host of Le Mans.

The Bosch motorsports team began preparing a proposal to provide the standardized hybrid system. Singhania, whose job already included creating simulations of how vehicles could be electrified, volunteered to help.

“I’m constantly challenged. Every second counts, and you have to be very quick at making decisions.”

The competition organizers selected Bosch as lead developer of the hybrid system that would be provided to all teams. Bosch engineers would also be required to test the hardware they supplied to each team to ensure none had an advantage.

“The performance of all our parts in all the cars has to fall within 1 percent of each other,” Singhania says.

After Bosch won the contract, Singhania officially became a motorsports calibration engineer, responsible for tweaking the software to fit the idiosyncrasies of each vehicle.

In 2022 he stepped up to his current role: developing software for the hybrid control unit (HCU), which is essentially the brains of the vehicle. The HCU helps coordinate all of the different subsystems such as the engine, battery, and electric motor and is responsible for balancing power requirements among these different components to maximize performance and lifetime.

Bosch’s engineers also designed software known as an equity model, which runs on the HCU. It is based on historical data collected from the operation of the hybrid systems’ various components, and controls their performance in real time to ensure all the teams’ hardware operates at the same level.

In addition, Singhania creates simulations of the race cars, which are used to better understand how the different components interact and how altering their configuration would affect performance.

Troubleshooting Problems on Race Day

Technology development is only part of Singhania’s job. On race days, he works as a support engineer, helping troubleshoot problems with the hybrid system as they crop up. Singhania and his colleagues monitor each team’s hardware using computers on Bosch’s race-day trailer, a mobile nerve center hardwired to the organizers’ control center on the race track.

“We are continuously looking at all the telemetry data coming from the hybrid system and analyzing [the system’s] health and performance,” he says.

If the Bosch engineers spot an issue or a team notifies them of a problem, they rush to the pit stall to retrieve a USB stick from the vehicle, which contains detailed data to help them diagnose and fix the issue.

After the race, the Bosch engineers analyze the telemetry data to identify ways to boost the standardized hybrid system’s performance for all the teams. In motorsports, where the difference between winning and losing can come down to fractions of a second, that kind of continual improvement is crucial.

Customers “put lots of money into this program, and they are there to win,” Singhania says.

Breaking Into Motorsports Engineering

Many engineers dream about working in the fast-paced and exciting world of motorsports, but it’s not easy breaking in. The biggest lesson Singhania learned is that if you don’t ask, you don’t get invited.

“Keep pursuing them because nobody’s going to come to you with an offer,” he says. “You have to keep talking to people and be ready when the opportunity presents itself.”

Demonstrating that you have experience contributing to challenging projects is a big help. Many of the engineers Bosch hires have been involved in Formula Student or similar automotive-engineering programs, such as the EcoCAR EV Challenge, says Singhania.

The job isn’t for everyone, though, he says. It’s demanding and requires a lot of travel and working on weekends during race season. But if you thrive under pressure and have a knack for problem solving, there are few more exciting careers.

Enlarge / The Tourbillon is recognizable as a modern Bugatti, but it's very different under the skin. (credit: Bradley Iger)

Since the launch of the hypercar-defining Veyron back in 2005, modern Bugattis have served as benchmarks for straight-line performance and no-expense-spared automotive engineering. At a time when a 300 horsepower Mustang GT was something to crow about, the quad-turbocharged, W16-powered Veyron offered more than a thousand, metric (987 hp/736 kW).

Perhaps more importantly, and in contrast to most other world-beating performance cars, the Veyron wasn't presented as some skunkworks project that had been pushed to the ragged edge. Instead, it was a wholly realized ultra-luxury performance machine, replete with the sort of grand touring appointments you'd expect to find in a Bentley rather than a top-speed record holder.

Still, it was the numbers that instantly captivated enthusiasts and casual onlookers alike, and Bugatti would go on to reset the bar with the introduction of the 1,479 hp (1,102 kW) Chiron in 2016.

Read 12 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Noted energy expert Marjorie Taylor Greene took to the stage today to deliver one of her famous sermons on the mount of ignorance. This time Greene shared an important message for the MAGA patriots who attended her lecture. "If you think gas prices are high now, just wait until you're forced to drive an electric vee-hick-ull," she said. — Read the rest

The post Fact-free Marjorie Taylor Greene peddles delusional fantasy about electric cars appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

You’ve probably been hearing a lot lately about the quantum-computing threat to cryptography. If so, you probably also have a lot of questions about what this “quantum threat” is and how it will impact your cryptographic solutions. Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions about quantum computing and its impact on cryptography.

What is a quantum computer?

A quantum computer is not a very fast general-purpose supercomputer, nor can it magically operate in a massively parallel manner. Instead, it efficiently executes unique quantum algorithms. These algorithms can in theory perform certain very specific computations much more efficiently than any traditional computer could.

However, the development of a meaningful quantum computer, i.e., one that can in practice outperform a modern traditional computer, is exceptionally difficult. Quantum computing technology has been in development since the 1980s, with gradually improving operational quantum computers since the 2010s. However, even extrapolating the current state of the art into the future, and assuming an exponential improvement equivalent to Moore’s law for traditional computers, experts estimate that it will still take at least 15 to 20 years for a meaningful quantum computer to become a reality. ^{1, 2}

What is the quantum threat to cryptography?

In the 1990s, it was discovered that some quantum algorithms can impact the security of certain traditional cryptographic techniques. Two quantum algorithms have raised concern:

• Shor’s algorithm, invented in 1994 by Peter Shor, is an efficient quantum algorithm for factoring large integers, and for solving a few related number-theoretical problems. Currently, there are no known efficient-factoring algorithms for traditional computers, a fact that provides the basis of security for several classic public-key cryptographic techniques.
• Grover’s algorithm, invented in 1996 by Lov Grover, is a quantum algorithm that can search for the inverse of a generic function quadratically faster than a traditional computer can. In cryptographic terms, searching for inverses is equivalent to a brute-force attack (e.g., on an unknown secret key value). The difficulty of such attacks forms the basis of security for most symmetric cryptography primitives.

These quantum algorithms, if they can be executed on a meaningful quantum computer, will impact the security of current cryptographic techniques.

What is the impact on public-key cryptography solutions?

By far the most important and most widely used public-key primitives today are based on RSA, discrete-logarithm, or elliptic curve cryptography. When meaningful quantum computers become operational, all of these can be efficiently solved by Shor’s algorithm. This will make virtually all public-key cryptography in current use insecure.

For the affected public-key encryption and key exchange primitives, this threat is already real today. An attacker capturing and storing encrypted messages exchanged now (or in the past), could decrypt them in the future when meaningful quantum computers are operational. So, highly sensitive and/or long-term secrets communicated up to today are already at risk.

If you use the affected signing primitives in short-term commitments of less than 15 years, the problem is less urgent. However, if meaningful quantum computers become available, the value of any signature will be voided from that point. So, you shouldn’t use the affected primitives for signing long-term commitments that still need to be verifiable in 15-20 years or more. This is already an issue for some use cases, e.g., for the security of secure boot and update solutions of embedded systems with a long lifetime.

Over the last decade, the cryptographic community has designed new public-key primitives that are based on mathematical problems that cannot be solved by Shor’s algorithm (or any other known efficient algorithm, quantum or otherwise). These algorithms are generally referred to as postquantum cryptography. NIST’s announcement on a selection of these algorithms for standardization¹, after years of public scrutiny, is the latest culmination of that field-wide exercise. For protecting the firmware of embedded systems in the short term, the NSA recommends the use of existing post-quantum secure hash-based signature schemes¹².

What is the impact on my symmetric cryptography solutions?

The security level of a well-designed symmetric key primitive is equivalent to the effort needed for brute-forcing the secret key. On a traditional computer, the effort of brute-forcing a secret key is directly exponential in the key’s length. When a meaningful quantum computer can be used, Grover’s algorithm can speed up the brute-force attack quadratically. The needed effort remains exponential, though only in half of the key’s length. So, Grover’s algorithm could be said to reduce the security of any given-length algorithm by 50%.

However, there are some important things to keep in mind:

• Grover’s algorithm is an optimal brute-force strategy (quantum or otherwise),⁴so the quadratic speed-up is the worst-case security impact.
• There are strong indications that it is not possible to meaningfully parallelize the execution of Grover’s algorithm.^2,5,6,7In a traditional brute-force attack, doubling the number of computers used will cut the computation time in half. Such a scaling is not possible for Grover’s algorithm on a quantum computer, which makes its use in a brute-force attack very impractical.
• Before Grover’s algorithm can be used to perform real-world brute-force attacks on 128-bit keys, the performance of quantum computers must improve tremendously. Very modern traditional supercomputers can barely perform computations with a complexity exponential in 128/2=64 bits in a practically feasible time (several months). Based on their current state and rate of progress, it will be much, much more than 20 years before quantum computers could be at that same level ⁶.

The practical impact of quantum computers on symmetric cryptography is, for the moment, very limited. Worst-case, the security strength of currently used primitives is reduced by 50% (of their key length), but due to the limitations of Grover’s algorithm, that is an overly pessimistic assumption for the near future. Doubling the length of symmetric keys to withstand quantum brute-force attacks is a very broad blanket measure that will certainly solve the problem, but is too conservative. Today, there are no mandated requirement for quantum-hardening symmetric-key cryptography, and 128-bit security strength primitives like AES-128 or SHA-256 are considered safe to use now. For the long-term, moving from 128-bit to 256-bit security strength algorithms is guaranteed to solve any foreseeable issues. ¹²

Is there an impact on information-theoretical security?

Information-theoretically secure methods (also called unconditional or perfect security) are algorithmic techniques for which security claims are mathematically proven. Some important information-theoretically secure constructions and primitives include the Vernam cipher, Shamir’s secret sharing, quantum key distribution⁸ (not to be confused with post-quantum cryptography), entropy sources and physical unclonable functions (PUFs), and fuzzy commitment schemes⁹.

Because an information-theoretical proof demonstrates that an adversary does not have sufficient information to break the security claim, regardless of its computing power – quantum or otherwise – information-theoretically secure constructions are not impacted by the quantum threat.

PUFs: An antidote for post-quantum security uncertainty

SRAM PUFs

The core technology underpinning all Synopsys products is an SRAM PUF. Like other PUFs, an SRAM PUF generates device-unique responses that stem from unpredictable variations originating in the production process of silicon chips. The operation of an SRAM PUF is based on a conventional SRAM circuit readily available in virtually all digital chips.

Based on years of continuous measurements and analysis, Synopsys has developed stochastic models that describe the behavior of its SRAM PUFs very accurately¹⁰. Using these models, we can determine tight bounds on the unpredictability of SRAM PUFs. These unpredictability bounds are expressed in terms of entropy, and are fundamental in nature, and cannot be overcome by any amount of computation, quantum or otherwise.

Synopsys PUF IP

Synopsys PUF IP is a security solution based on SRAM PUF technology. The central component of Synopsys PUF IP is a fuzzy commitment scheme⁹ that protects a root key with an SRAM PUF response and produces public helper data. It is information-theoretically proven that the helper data discloses zero information on the root key, so the fact that the helper data is public has no impact on the root key’s security.

Fig. 1: High-level architecture of Synopsys PUF IP.

This no-leakage proof – kept intact over years of field deployment on hundreds of millions of devices – relies on the PUF employed by the system to be an entropy source, as expressed by its stochastic model. Synopsys PUF IP uses its entropy source to initialize its root key for the very first time, which is subsequently protected by the fuzzy commitment scheme.

In addition to the fuzzy commitment scheme and the entropy source, Synopsys PUF IP also implements cryptographic operations based on certified standard-compliant constructions making use of standard symmetric crypto primitives, particularly AES and SHA-256¹¹. These operations include:

• a key derivation function (KDF) that uses the root key protected by the fuzzy commitment scheme as a key derivation key.
• a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG) that is initially seeded by a high-entropy seed coming from the entropy source.
• key wrapping functionality, essentially a form of authenticated encryption, for the protection of externally provided application keys using a key-wrapping key derived from the root key protected by the fuzzy commitment scheme.

Conclusion

The security architecture of Synopsys PUF IP is based on information-theoretically secure components for the generation and protection of a root key, and on established symmetric cryptography for other cryptographic functions. Information-theoretically secure constructions are impervious to quantum attacks. The impact of the quantum threat on symmetric cryptography is very limited and does not require any remediation now or in the foreseeable future. Importantly, Synopsys PUF IP does not deploy any quantum-vulnerable public-key cryptographic primitives.

All variants of Synopsys PUF IP are quantum-secure and in accordance with recommended post-quantum guidelines. The use of the 256-bit security strength variant of Synopsys PUF IP will offer strong quantum resistance, even in a distant future, but also the 128-bit variant is considered perfectly safe to use now and in the foreseeable time to come.

References

1. “Report on Post-Quantum Cryptography”, NIST Information Technology Laboratory, NISTIR 8105, April 2016,
2. “2021 Quantum Threat Timeline Report”, Global Risk Institute (GRI), M. Mosca and M. Piani, January, 2022,
3. “PQC Standardization Process: Announcing Four Candidates to be Standardized, Plus Fourth Round Candidates”, NIST Information Technology Laboratory, July 5, 2022,
4. “Grover’s quantum searching algorithm is optimal”, C. Zalka, Phys. Rev. A 60, 2746, October 1, 1999, https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.60.2746
5. “Reassessing Grover’s Algorithm”, S. Fluhrer, IACR ePrint 2017/811,
6. “NIST’s pleasant post-quantum surprise”, Bas Westerbaan, CloudFlare, July 8, 2022,
7. “Post-Quantum Cryptography – FAQs: To protect against the threat of quantum computers, should we double the key length for AES now? (added 11/18/18)”, NIST Information Technology Laboratory,
8. “Quantum cryptography: Public key distribution and coin tossing”, C. H. Bennett and G. Brassard, Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Computers, Systems and Signal Processing, December, 1984,
9. “A fuzzy commitment scheme”, A. Juels and M. Wattenberg, Proceedings of the 6th ACM conference on Computer and Communications Security, November, 1999,
10. “An Accurate Probabilistic Reliability Model for Silicon PUFs”, R. Maes, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems, 2013,
11. NIST Information Technology Laboratory, Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program CAVP, validation #A2516, https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cryptographic-algorithm-validation-program/details?validation=35127
12. “Announcing the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0”, National Security Agency, Cybersecurity Advisory https://media.defense.gov/2022/Sep/07/2003071834/-1/-1/0/CSA_CNSA_2.0_ALGORITHMS_.PDF

The post Addressing Quantum Computing Threats With SRAM PUFs appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

Enlarge / The Clip attached to a late-90s vintage mountain bike. (credit: Eric Bangeman)

Shortly after World War II, a French manufacturer by the name of Solex started selling mopeds. These were not your "typical" moped that looks kind of like a motorcycle with pedals—the mopeds made by Solex were essentially bicycles with a small, two-stroke engine mounted over the front wheel that could propel the rider around 100 km on a single liter of gas mixture. The downside: Solex mopeds were loud and cumbersome to ride due to the weight distribution, and they never really caught on in North America.

Clip, a startup based in Brooklyn, New York, has come up with its own twist on the Solex. Its only product, the eponymously named Clip, is a friction drive unit that attaches to the front fork of any bicycle, turning it into an e-bike. At $499 for the Commuter model and $599 for the Explorer, it is a relatively inexpensive way to turn just about any bicycle into an e-bike for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

The Clip mounts to the front fork just below the brake caliper. (credit: Eric Bangeman)

Weighing in at 8.8 lb (4 kg) for the Commuter model (the Explorer is a pound heavier), the Clip is at its essence a portable friction-drive. There's a detachable controller that mounts on the handlebar and the unit itself. The Explorer model, the one we reviewed, has a 192 Wh battery that takes an hour to fully charge. Its range is pegged at "up to 12 miles," a claim that is pretty accurate based on our testing, and the top speed is 15 mph. The Commuter model offers half the battery capacity, charge time, and range.

Read 8 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / Jeep is ready to join the electric SUV fray with the new Wagoneer S, which goes on sale later this year. (credit: Jeep)

The Jeep brand has finally debuted its first purpose-built electric vehicle. It's targeting the hotly contested SUV segment with the new Wagoneer S, which goes on sale this fall. But other than its name, it shares little with the gasoline-powered Wagoneer; the Wagoneer S uses the same EV architecture—called STLA Large—as the forthcoming electric Dodge Charger.

It looks like Jeep is using a similar playbook to Dodge and Ram as it introduces its electric models: Give them the same name and styling as a familiar bestseller to keep customers comfortable, then give them serious power output and some headline-grabbing numbers to generate a halo effect.

Powerful

That's why the Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition will offer 600 hp (447 kW), 617 lb-ft (837 Nm), and a 0–60 mph (0-98 km/h) time of 3.4 seconds. It's powered by a 100.5 kWh battery pack with nickel manganese cobalt chemistry operating at 400 V.

Read 10 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / No one's entirely sure if driverless racing will be any good to watch, but before we find that out, people have to actually develop driverless race cars. A2RL in Abu Dhabi is the latest step down that path. (credit: A2RL)

ABU DHABI—We live in a weird time for autonomous vehicles. Ambitions come and go, but genuinely autonomous cars are further off than solid-state vehicle batteries. Part of the problem with developing autonomous cars is that teaching road cars to take risks is unacceptable.

A race track, though, is a decent place to potentially crash a car. You can take risks there, with every brutal crunch becoming a learning exercise. (You’d be hard-pressed to find a top racing driver without a few wrecks smoldering in their junior career records.)

That's why 10,000 people descended on the Yas Marina race track in Abu Dhabi to watch the first four-car driverless race.

Read 49 remaining paragraphs | Comments

In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $7.5 billion to build 500,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles (E.V.s) across the country in an effort to boost a switch to the use of clean energy.

As Reason reported in December, not one charger funded by the program had yet come online. Now, six months later, the number of functional charging stations has ticked up to eight.

That news comes from an Autoweek article earlier this month. In March, The Washington Post reported that only seven were built; a charging station in Bradford, Vermont, opened in April, containing four E.V. fast chargers. Public chargers are either Level 2, which use alternating current electricity and take several hours to fully charge an all-electric vehicle from empty, or Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) superchargers, which use direct current and can charge in less than an hour.

Why so little progress? Alexander Laska of the center-left Third Way think tank told Autoweek's Jim Motavalli that the federal cash "comes with dozens of rules and requirements around everything from reliability to interoperability, to where stations can be located, to what certifications the workers installing the chargers need to have." Laska says the regulations "are largely a good thing—we want drivers to have a seamless, convenient, reliable charging experience—but navigating all of that does add to the timeline."

A spokesperson with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which administers $5 billion of the $7.5 billion total, further told Motavalli that the delay is because "we want to get it right."

Thankfully, federal grants aren't the only way to build out charging infrastructure.

"US drivers welcomed almost 1,100 new public, fast-charging stations in the second half of 2023, a 16% increase," Bloomberg's Kyle Stock reported in January. And not just in big cities or progressive enclaves: Deep-red Idaho "switched on 12 new [DCFCs] between July and December," while "Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee welcomed 56 new fast-charging stations in the second half of 2023, an infrastructure increase of one-third."

While Stock notes that $5 billion of federal money is expected to roll out soon, "the vast majority of chargers added in the US last year were bets by for-profit companies on the future of battery-powered driving."

The most prominent company by far is Tesla, whose network of Superchargers includes over 57,000 DCFC chargers around the world and generated an estimated $1.74 billion of revenue in 2023 alone. Just in the fourth quarter of 2023, the company built 357 new stations, accounting for 3,783 charging ports.

Around two-thirds of all public chargers in the U.S. are manufactured for Teslas, but the company has also expanded its network for its competitors to use: In the 2025 model year, most major automakers' E.V.s will use the same charge port as Teslas and be able to access the Supercharger network.

Rivian, a Tesla competitor, is also building out its own DCFC network: In February 2024, it counted 400 chargers in 67 locations, with plans to expand further, and just like with Tesla's Superchargers, Rivian plans to make its chargers accessible to other models.

In fairness, both Tesla and Rivian have benefited from government handouts: State and local governments in Georgia promised Rivian a raft of incentives worth up to $1.5 billion. And Tesla has received at least $2.8 billion in federal, state, and local subsidies over the years, despite CEO Elon Musk's professed distaste for government intervention in the economy. In fact, Politico found in February that Tesla was the single largest recipient of funds disbursed by the federal NEVI program, winning "almost 13 percent of all EV charging awards from the law, earning it a total of more than $17 million in infrastructure grants."

But those companies still provide the best template for expanding access to public chargers.

While proponents of the federal regulations may defend the amount of red tape involved in the federal program, with demands on where a charging station can be placed and the types of licenses people need to build one, the fact is that the private sector is already building out a nationwide E.V. charging network that will be available to most drivers.

The post $7.5 Billion in Government Cash Only Built 8 E.V. Chargers in 2.5 Years appeared first on Reason.com.

It Takes Two, the award-winning and pretty dang good co-op game, received an update today making it verified on Steam Deck and removing the need to use the EA App launcher. But that update also killed old cloud saves. EA’s solution for fans who might have lost progress: Download this other save file of the completed…

Read more...

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

A New Jersey fire chief allegedly became irate when a man's sump pump leaked rainwater onto the firehouse. So he handled it like a gentleman by taking revenge, pouring a bucket of rocks and gravel over the man's extremely rare sports car. — Read the rest

The post New Jersey fire chief vandalizes neighbor's rare car with rocks — and it was caught on video appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

Enlarge / First revealed in 2017, the current Aston Martin Vantage has just had a styling and engineering overhaul. (credit: Aston Martin)

It's high time Aston Martin had a winner on its hands. Last year it updated the DB12 with smart new face, plenty of power, and the sort of infotainment you'd hope for from a luxury GT. The Vantage, the firm's 'entry-level' car, has been given similar treatment in the hopes that it can peel a few more people away from Porsche dealerships.

Aston's looking not only to make better cars, but to shift its image—it's aiming to be seen as more luxurious than before, as well as throwing as much power at the cars as possible. At first glance, it looks like Aston's cooked up something truly delightful.

The new car is more than 150 hp (112 kW) more powerful than the one it replaces, with 656 hp (490 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) from a wonderfully appointed turbocharged 4.0 L V8. 0-60 mph is quoted at 3.4 seconds, and Aston reckons that if you have enough space (and no speed limits) you'll see the far side of 200 mph (321 km/h). It is not slow.

Read 12 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / The Velomobile Bülk, with its hood in place. Note the hood has an anti-fog covering on the visor (which is flipped up). The two bumps near the front of the hood are there to improve clearance for the cyclist's knees. (credit: JOHN TIMMER)

My brain registered that I was clearly cycling. My feet were clipped in to pedals, my legs were turning crank arms, and the arms were linked via a chain to one of the wheels. But pretty much everything else about the experience felt wrong on a fundamental, almost disturbing level.

I could produce a long list of everything my mind was struggling to deal with, but two things stand out as I think back on the experience. The first is that, with the exception of my face, I didn't feel the air flow over me as the machine surged forward down a slight slope. The second, related to the first, is that there was no indication that the surge would ever tail off if I didn't hit the brakes.

Living the dream

My visit with a velomobile was, in some ways, a chance to reconnect with a childhood dream. I've always had a fascination with vehicles that don't require fuel, like bicycles and sailboats. And during my childhood, the popular press was filled with stories about people setting human-powered speed records by putting aerodynamic fiberglass shells on recumbent bicycles. In the wake of the 1970s oil crises, I imagined a time when the roads might be filled with people cycling these pods for their commutes or covering long distances thanks to a cooler filled with drinks and snacks tucked in the back of the shell.

Read 23 remaining paragraphs | Comments

A New Jersey fire chief allegedly became irate when a man's sump pump leaked rainwater onto the firehouse. So he handled it like a gentleman by taking revenge, pouring a bucket of rocks and gravel over the man's extremely rare sports car. — Read the rest

The post New Jersey fire chief vandalizes neighbor's rare car with rocks — and it was caught on video appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

The internet of things (IoT) has been growing at a fast pace. In 2023, there were already double the number of internet-connected devices – 16 billion – than people on the planet. However, many of these devices are not properly secured. The high volume of insecure devices being deployed is presenting hackers with more opportunities than ever before. Governments around the world are realizing that additional security standards for IoT devices are needed to address the growing and important role of the billions of connected devices we rely on every day. The EU Cyber Resilience Act and the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act in the United States are driving improved security practices as well as an increased sense of urgency.

Digital trust is critical for the continued success of the IoT. This means that security, privacy, and reliability are becoming top concerns. IoT devices are always connected and can be deployed in any environment, which means that they can be attacked via the internet as well as physically in the field. Whether it is a remote attacker getting access to a baby monitor or camera inside your house, or someone physically tampering with sensors that are part of a critical infrastructure, IoT devices need to have proper security in place.

This is even more salient when one considers that each IoT device is part of a multi-party supply chain and is used in systems that contain many other devices. All these devices need to be trusted and communicate in a secure way to maintain the privacy of their data. It is critical to ensure that there are no backdoors left open by any link in the supply chain, or when devices are updated in the field. Any weak link exposes more than just the device in question to security breaches; it exposes its entire system – and the IoT itself – to attacks.

A foundation of trust starts in the hardware

To secure the IoT, each piece of silicon in the supply chain needs to be trusted. The best way to achieve this is by using a hardware-based root of trust (RoT) for every device. An RoT is typically defined as “the set of implicitly trusted functions that the rest of the system or device can use to ensure security.” The core of an RoT consists of an identity and cryptographic keys rooted in the hardware of a device. This establishes a unique, immutable, and unclonable identity to authenticate a device in the IoT network. It establishes the anchor point for the chain of trust, and powers critical system security use cases over the entire lifecycle of a device.

Protecting every device on the IoT with a hardware-based RoT can appear to be an unreachable goal. There are so many types of systems and devices and so many different semiconductor and device manufacturers, each with their own complex supply chain. Many of these chips and devices are high-volume/low-cost and therefore have strict constraints on additional manufacturing or supply chain costs for security. The PSA Certified 2023 Security Report indicates that 72% of tech decision makers are interested in the development of an industry-led set of guidelines to make reaching the goal of a secure IoT more attainable.

Security frameworks and certifications speed-up the process and build confidence

One important industry-led effort in standardizing IoT security that has been widely adopted is PSA Certified. PSA stands for Platform Security Architecture and PSA Certified is a global partnership addressing security challenges and uniting the technology ecosystem under a common security baseline, providing an easy-to consume and comprehensive methodology for the lab-validated assurance of device security. PSA Certified has been adopted by the full supply chain from silicon providers, software vendors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), IP providers, governments, content service providers (CSPs), insurance vendors and other third-party schemes. PSA Certified was the winner of the IoT Global Awards “Ecosystem of the year” in 2021.

PSA Certified lab-based evaluations (PSA Certified Level 2 and above) have a choice of evaluation methodologies, including the rigorous SESIP-based methodology (Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms from GlobalPlatform), an optimized security evaluation methodology, designed for connected devices. PSA Certified recognizes that a myriad of different regulations and certification frameworks create an added layer of complexity for the silicon providers, OEMs, software vendors, developers, and service providers tasked with demonstrating the security capability of their products. The goal of the program is to provide a flexible and efficient security evaluation method needed to address the unique complexities and challenges of the evolving digital ecosystem and to drive consistency across device certification schemes to bring greater trust.

The PSA Certified framework recognizes the importance of a hardware RoT for every connected device. It currently provides incremental levels of certified assurance, ranging from a baseline Level 1 (application of best-practice security principles) to a more advanced Level 3 (validated protection against substantial hardware and software attacks).

PSA Certified RoT component

Among the certifications available, PSA Certified offers a PSA Certified RoT Component certification program, which targets separate RoT IP components, such as physical unclonable functions (PUFs), which use unclonable properties of silicon to create a robust trust (or security) anchor. As shown in figure 1, the PSA-RoT Certification includes three levels of security testing. These component-level certifications from PSA Certified validate specific security functional requirements (SFRs) provided by an RoT component and enable their reuse in a fast-track evaluation of a system integration using this component.

Fig. 1: PSA Certified establishes a chain of trust that begins with a PSA-RoT.

A proven RoT IP solution, now PSA Certified

Synopsys PUF IP is a secure key generation and storage solution that enables device manufacturers and designers to secure their products with internally generated unclonable identities and device-unique cryptographic keys. It uses the inherently random start-up values of SRAM as a physical unclonable function (PUF), which generates the entropy required for a strong hardware root of trust.

This root key created by Synopsys PUF IP is never stored, but rather recreated from the PUF upon each use, so there is never a key to be discovered by attackers. The root key is the basis for key management capabilities that enable each member of the supply chain to create its own secret keys, bound to the specific device, to protect their IP/communications without revealing these keys to any other member of the supply chain.

Synopsys PUF IP offers robust PUF-based physical security, with the following properties:

• No secrets/keys at rest​ (no secrets stored in any memory)
  • prevents any attack on an unpowered device​
  • keys are only present when used​, limiting the window of opportunity for attacks
• Hardware entropy source/root of trust​
  • no dependence on third parties​ (no key injection from outside)
  • no dependence on security of external components or other internal modules​
  • no dependence on software-based security​
• Technology-independent, fully digital standard-logic CMOS IP
  • all fabs and technology nodes
  • small footprint
  • re-use in new platforms/deployments
• Built-in error resilience​ due to advanced error-correction

The Synopsys PUF technology has been field-proven over more than a decade of deployment on over 750 million chips. And now, the Synopsys PUF has achieved the milestone of becoming the world’s first IP solution to be awarded “PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component.” This certifies that the IP includes substantial protection against both software and hardware attacks (including side-channel and fault injection attacks) and is qualified as a trusted component in a system that requires PSA Level 3 certification.

Fault detection and other countermeasures

In addition to its PUF-related protection against physical attacks, all Synopsys PUF IP products have several built-in physical countermeasures. These include both systemic security features (such as data format validation, data authentication, key use restrictions, built in self-tests (BIST), and heath checks) as well as more specific countermeasures (such as data masking and dummy cycles) that protect against specific attacks.

The PSA Certified Synopsys PUF IP goes even one step further. It validates all inputs through integrity checks and error detection. It continuously asserts that everything runs as intended, flags any observed faults, and ensures security. Additionally, the PSA Certified Synopsys PUF IP provides hardware and software handholds to the user which assist in checking that all data is correctly transferred into and out of the PUF IP. The Synopsys PUF IP driver also supports fault detection and reporting.

Advantages of PUFs over traditional key injection and storage methods

For end-product developers, PUF IP has many advantages over traditional approaches for key management. These traditional approaches typically require key injection (provisioning secret keys into a device) and some form of non-volatile memory (NVM), such as embedded Flash memory or one-time programmable storage (OTP), where the programmed key is stored and where it needs to be protected from being extracted, overwritten, or changed. Unlike these traditional key injection solutions, Synopsys PUF IP does not require sensitive key handling by third parties, since PUF-based keys are created within the device itself. In addition, Synopsys PUF IP offers more flexibility than traditional solutions, as a virtually unlimited number of PUF-based keys can be created. And keys protected by the PUF can be added at any time in the lifecycle rather than only during manufacturing.

In terms of key storage, Synopsys PUF IP offers higher protection against physical attacks than storing keys in some form of NVM. PUF-based root keys are not stored on the device, but they are reconstructed upon each use, so there is nothing for attackers to find on the chip. Instead of storing keys in NVM, Synopsys PUF IP stores only (non-sensitive) helper data and encrypted keys in NVM on- or off-chip. The traditional approach of storing keys on the device in NVM is more vulnerable to physical attacks.

Finally, Synopsys PUF IP provides more portability. Since the Synopsys PUF IP is based on standard SRAM memory cells, it offers a process- and fab agnostic solution for key storage that scales to the most advanced technology nodes.

Conclusion

The large and steady increase in devices connected to the IoT also increases the need for digital trust and privacy. This requires flexible and efficient IoT security solutions that are standardized to streamline implementation and certification across the multiple players involved in the creation and deployment of IoT devices. The PSA Certified framework offers an easy-to-consume and comprehensive methodology for the lab-validated assurance of device security.

Synopsys PUF IP, which has been deployed in over 750 million chips, is the first-ever IP solution to be awarded “PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component.” This certifies that the IP includes substantial protection against hardware and software attacks. Synopsys PUF IP offers IoT device makers a robust PUF-based security anchor with trusted industry-standard certification and offers the perfect balance between strong security, high flexibility, and low cost.

The post Earning Digital Trust appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

A New Jersey fire chief allegedly became irate when a man's sump pump leaked rainwater onto the firehouse. So he handled it like a gentleman by taking revenge, pouring a bucket of rocks and gravel over the man's extremely rare sports car. — Read the rest

The post New Jersey fire chief vandalizes neighbor's rare car with rocks — and it was caught on video appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

The internet of things (IoT) has been growing at a fast pace. In 2023, there were already double the number of internet-connected devices – 16 billion – than people on the planet. However, many of these devices are not properly secured. The high volume of insecure devices being deployed is presenting hackers with more opportunities than ever before. Governments around the world are realizing that additional security standards for IoT devices are needed to address the growing and important role of the billions of connected devices we rely on every day. The EU Cyber Resilience Act and the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act in the United States are driving improved security practices as well as an increased sense of urgency.

Digital trust is critical for the continued success of the IoT. This means that security, privacy, and reliability are becoming top concerns. IoT devices are always connected and can be deployed in any environment, which means that they can be attacked via the internet as well as physically in the field. Whether it is a remote attacker getting access to a baby monitor or camera inside your house, or someone physically tampering with sensors that are part of a critical infrastructure, IoT devices need to have proper security in place.

This is even more salient when one considers that each IoT device is part of a multi-party supply chain and is used in systems that contain many other devices. All these devices need to be trusted and communicate in a secure way to maintain the privacy of their data. It is critical to ensure that there are no backdoors left open by any link in the supply chain, or when devices are updated in the field. Any weak link exposes more than just the device in question to security breaches; it exposes its entire system – and the IoT itself – to attacks.

A foundation of trust starts in the hardware

To secure the IoT, each piece of silicon in the supply chain needs to be trusted. The best way to achieve this is by using a hardware-based root of trust (RoT) for every device. An RoT is typically defined as “the set of implicitly trusted functions that the rest of the system or device can use to ensure security.” The core of an RoT consists of an identity and cryptographic keys rooted in the hardware of a device. This establishes a unique, immutable, and unclonable identity to authenticate a device in the IoT network. It establishes the anchor point for the chain of trust, and powers critical system security use cases over the entire lifecycle of a device.

Protecting every device on the IoT with a hardware-based RoT can appear to be an unreachable goal. There are so many types of systems and devices and so many different semiconductor and device manufacturers, each with their own complex supply chain. Many of these chips and devices are high-volume/low-cost and therefore have strict constraints on additional manufacturing or supply chain costs for security. The PSA Certified 2023 Security Report indicates that 72% of tech decision makers are interested in the development of an industry-led set of guidelines to make reaching the goal of a secure IoT more attainable.

Security frameworks and certifications speed-up the process and build confidence

One important industry-led effort in standardizing IoT security that has been widely adopted is PSA Certified. PSA stands for Platform Security Architecture and PSA Certified is a global partnership addressing security challenges and uniting the technology ecosystem under a common security baseline, providing an easy-to consume and comprehensive methodology for the lab-validated assurance of device security. PSA Certified has been adopted by the full supply chain from silicon providers, software vendors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), IP providers, governments, content service providers (CSPs), insurance vendors and other third-party schemes. PSA Certified was the winner of the IoT Global Awards “Ecosystem of the year” in 2021.

PSA Certified lab-based evaluations (PSA Certified Level 2 and above) have a choice of evaluation methodologies, including the rigorous SESIP-based methodology (Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms from GlobalPlatform), an optimized security evaluation methodology, designed for connected devices. PSA Certified recognizes that a myriad of different regulations and certification frameworks create an added layer of complexity for the silicon providers, OEMs, software vendors, developers, and service providers tasked with demonstrating the security capability of their products. The goal of the program is to provide a flexible and efficient security evaluation method needed to address the unique complexities and challenges of the evolving digital ecosystem and to drive consistency across device certification schemes to bring greater trust.

The PSA Certified framework recognizes the importance of a hardware RoT for every connected device. It currently provides incremental levels of certified assurance, ranging from a baseline Level 1 (application of best-practice security principles) to a more advanced Level 3 (validated protection against substantial hardware and software attacks).

PSA Certified RoT component

Among the certifications available, PSA Certified offers a PSA Certified RoT Component certification program, which targets separate RoT IP components, such as physical unclonable functions (PUFs), which use unclonable properties of silicon to create a robust trust (or security) anchor. As shown in figure 1, the PSA-RoT Certification includes three levels of security testing. These component-level certifications from PSA Certified validate specific security functional requirements (SFRs) provided by an RoT component and enable their reuse in a fast-track evaluation of a system integration using this component.

Fig. 1: PSA Certified establishes a chain of trust that begins with a PSA-RoT.

A proven RoT IP solution, now PSA Certified

Synopsys PUF IP is a secure key generation and storage solution that enables device manufacturers and designers to secure their products with internally generated unclonable identities and device-unique cryptographic keys. It uses the inherently random start-up values of SRAM as a physical unclonable function (PUF), which generates the entropy required for a strong hardware root of trust.

This root key created by Synopsys PUF IP is never stored, but rather recreated from the PUF upon each use, so there is never a key to be discovered by attackers. The root key is the basis for key management capabilities that enable each member of the supply chain to create its own secret keys, bound to the specific device, to protect their IP/communications without revealing these keys to any other member of the supply chain.

Synopsys PUF IP offers robust PUF-based physical security, with the following properties:

• No secrets/keys at rest​ (no secrets stored in any memory)
  • prevents any attack on an unpowered device​
  • keys are only present when used​, limiting the window of opportunity for attacks
• Hardware entropy source/root of trust​
  • no dependence on third parties​ (no key injection from outside)
  • no dependence on security of external components or other internal modules​
  • no dependence on software-based security​
• Technology-independent, fully digital standard-logic CMOS IP
  • all fabs and technology nodes
  • small footprint
  • re-use in new platforms/deployments
• Built-in error resilience​ due to advanced error-correction

The Synopsys PUF technology has been field-proven over more than a decade of deployment on over 750 million chips. And now, the Synopsys PUF has achieved the milestone of becoming the world’s first IP solution to be awarded “PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component.” This certifies that the IP includes substantial protection against both software and hardware attacks (including side-channel and fault injection attacks) and is qualified as a trusted component in a system that requires PSA Level 3 certification.

Fault detection and other countermeasures

In addition to its PUF-related protection against physical attacks, all Synopsys PUF IP products have several built-in physical countermeasures. These include both systemic security features (such as data format validation, data authentication, key use restrictions, built in self-tests (BIST), and heath checks) as well as more specific countermeasures (such as data masking and dummy cycles) that protect against specific attacks.

The PSA Certified Synopsys PUF IP goes even one step further. It validates all inputs through integrity checks and error detection. It continuously asserts that everything runs as intended, flags any observed faults, and ensures security. Additionally, the PSA Certified Synopsys PUF IP provides hardware and software handholds to the user which assist in checking that all data is correctly transferred into and out of the PUF IP. The Synopsys PUF IP driver also supports fault detection and reporting.

Advantages of PUFs over traditional key injection and storage methods

For end-product developers, PUF IP has many advantages over traditional approaches for key management. These traditional approaches typically require key injection (provisioning secret keys into a device) and some form of non-volatile memory (NVM), such as embedded Flash memory or one-time programmable storage (OTP), where the programmed key is stored and where it needs to be protected from being extracted, overwritten, or changed. Unlike these traditional key injection solutions, Synopsys PUF IP does not require sensitive key handling by third parties, since PUF-based keys are created within the device itself. In addition, Synopsys PUF IP offers more flexibility than traditional solutions, as a virtually unlimited number of PUF-based keys can be created. And keys protected by the PUF can be added at any time in the lifecycle rather than only during manufacturing.

In terms of key storage, Synopsys PUF IP offers higher protection against physical attacks than storing keys in some form of NVM. PUF-based root keys are not stored on the device, but they are reconstructed upon each use, so there is nothing for attackers to find on the chip. Instead of storing keys in NVM, Synopsys PUF IP stores only (non-sensitive) helper data and encrypted keys in NVM on- or off-chip. The traditional approach of storing keys on the device in NVM is more vulnerable to physical attacks.

Finally, Synopsys PUF IP provides more portability. Since the Synopsys PUF IP is based on standard SRAM memory cells, it offers a process- and fab agnostic solution for key storage that scales to the most advanced technology nodes.

Conclusion

The large and steady increase in devices connected to the IoT also increases the need for digital trust and privacy. This requires flexible and efficient IoT security solutions that are standardized to streamline implementation and certification across the multiple players involved in the creation and deployment of IoT devices. The PSA Certified framework offers an easy-to-consume and comprehensive methodology for the lab-validated assurance of device security.

Synopsys PUF IP, which has been deployed in over 750 million chips, is the first-ever IP solution to be awarded “PSA Certified Level 3 RoT Component.” This certifies that the IP includes substantial protection against hardware and software attacks. Synopsys PUF IP offers IoT device makers a robust PUF-based security anchor with trusted industry-standard certification and offers the perfect balance between strong security, high flexibility, and low cost.

The post Earning Digital Trust appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

Enlarge (credit: Honda)

Global carmakers are stepping up their investment in hybrid technologies as consumers’ growing wariness over fully electric vehicles forces the industry to rapidly shift gear, according to top executives.

A combination of still high interest rates and concern over inadequate charging infrastructure has chilled buyers’ enthusiasm for fully electric cars, prompting a rebound in sales of hybrid vehicles that most of the industry had long regarded as nothing more than a stop-gap.

Tapping the resurgent demand for hybrids was a priority, executives from General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Ford told the Financial Times’ Future of the Car Summit this week.

Read 17 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge (credit: Graham Hughes/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The federal government is looking at a phantom braking problem that appears to be affecting the Fisker Ocean electric crossover. Earlier this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation opened a safety probe into the electric vehicle—its fourth so far. Open investigations are also examining whether the doors can fail to open, in addition to problems with shifting into or out of park and issues with partial braking loss over low-grip surfaces.

The newest preliminary investigation was opened by NHTSA's ODI after the regulator received eight complaints of alleged inappropriate automatic emergency braking. AEB is one of the more effective new active driver safety systems. NHTSA added it to its list of recommended safety features almost a decade ago, and last month, it published industry standards that will make the feature mandatory on all new cars and trucks, although not until September 2029.

But not every AEB implementation is equal. Both Tesla's and Honda's systems have suffered from too many false positives, also known as phantom braking, triggering the feature inappropriately, sometimes resulting in that car being crashed into from behind.

Read 3 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

President Joe Biden says, "I know how to make government work!"

You'd think he'd know. He's worked in government for 51 years.

But the truth is, no one can make government work.

Biden hasn't.

Look at the chaos at the border, our military's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, the rising cost of living, our unsustainable record-high debt.

In my new video, economist Ed Stringham argues that no government can ever work well, because "even the best person can't implement change….The massive bureaucracy gets bigger and slower."

I learned that as a consumer reporter watching bureaucrats regulate business. Their rules usually made life worse for consumers.

Yet politicians want government to do more!

Remember the unveiling of Obamacare's website? Millions tried to sign up. The first day, only six got it to work.

Vice President Joe Biden made excuses: "Neither [Obama] and I are technology geeks."

Stringham points out, "If they can't design a basic simple website, how are they going to manage half the economy?"

While bureaucrats struggled with the Obamacare site, the private sector successfully created Uber and Lyft, platforms like iCloud, apps like Waze, smartwatches, etc.

The private sector creates things that work because it has to. If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business.

But government is a monopoly. It never goes out of business. With no competition, there's less pressure to improve.

Often good people join government. Some work as hard as workers in the private sector.

But not for long. Because the bureaucracy's incentives kill initiative.

If a government worker works hard, he might get a small raise. But he sits near others who earn the same pay and, thanks to archaic civil service rules, are unlikely to get fired even if they're late, lazy, or stupid.

Over time, that's demoralizing. Eventually government workers conclude, "Why try?"

In the private sector, workers must strive to make things better. If they don't, competitors will, and you might lose your job.

Governments never go out of business.

"Companies can only stay in business if they always keep their customer happy," Stringham points out. "Competition pushes us to be better. Government has no competition."

I push back.

"Politicians say, 'Voters can vote us out.'"

"With a free market," Stringham replies, "the consumer votes every single day with the dollar. Under politics, we have to wait four years."

It's another reason why, over time, government never works as well as the private sector.

Year after year, the Pentagon fails audits.

If a private company repeatedly does that, they get shut down. But government never gets shut down.

A Pentagon spokeswoman makes excuses: "We're working on improving our process. We certainly are learning each time."

They don't learn much. They still fail audits.

"It's like we're living in Groundhog Day," Stringham jokes.

When COVID-19 hit, politicians handed out almost $2 trillion in "rescue" funds. The Government Accountability Office says more than $100 billion were stolen.

"One woman bought a Bentley," laughs Stringham. "A father and son bought a luxury home."

At least Biden noticed the fraud. He announced, "We're going to make you pay back what you stole!

No. They will not. Biden's Fraud Enforcement Task Force has recovered only 1 percent of what was stolen.

Even without fraud, government makes money vanish. I've reported on my town's $2 million toilet in a park. When I confronted the parks commissioner, he said, "$2 million was a bargain! Today it would cost $3 million."

That's government work.

More recently, Biden proudly announced that government would create "500,000 [electric vehicle] charging stations."

After two years, they've built seven. Not 7,000. Just seven.

Over the same time, greedy, profit-seeking Amazon built 17,000.

"Privatize!" says Stringham. "Whenever we think something's important, question whether government should do it."

In Britain, government-owned Jaguar lost money year after year. Only when Britain sold the company to private investors did Jaguar start turning a profit selling cars people actually like.

When Sweden sold Absolut Vodka, the company increased its profits sixfold.

It's ridiculous for Biden to say, "I know how to make government work."

No one does.

Next week, this column takes on Donald Trump's promise: "We'll drain the Washington swamp!"

COPYRIGHT 2024 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC.

The post No One Can Make Government Work appeared first on Reason.com.

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images | Beata Zawrzel)

No car company in recent years has been able to generate more news headlines than Tesla. Its original founders were among the very first to realize that lithium-ion laptop cells were just about good enough to power a car, assuming you put enough of them in a pack, and with critical funding from current CEO Elon Musk, the company was able to kick-start an electric vehicle revolution. But those headlines of late have been painting a picture of a company in chaos. Sales are down, the cars are barely profitable, and now the CEO is culling vast swaths of the company. Just what is going on?

Tesla had some good times

Always erratic, Musk's leadership has nevertheless seen the company sell electric cars in volume, profitably. What's more, Musk has at times been able to inspire faith in and devotion to his company's products in a way that makes the late Steve Jobs look like a neophyte—after the Model 3 debuted in 2016, 450,000 people gave $1,000 deposits to Tesla for a product that wouldn't go into production for at least 18 months.

Of course, that example also illustrates a long-running concern with the company and Musk's investment-attracting pitches: overhyping and underdelivering. By 2018, more than one in five reservation holders wanted a refund after cheaper models were delayed and delayed.

Read 35 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / Sony Honda Mobility will start taking orders for its AFEELA EV next year. (credit: Peter Nelson)

We're living through a period of radically shifting automotive technology. Companies are working on increasing electric vehicle range and redefining our concept of reenergizing. They're also gradually refining driver assistance technology and figuring out how to make vehicles an extension of their drivers.

Sony Honda Mobility's (SHM) main aim with its AFEELA luxury-tier sedan concept is to put the emphasis on the latter. The dynamic duo's website is filled with marketing buzzwords, but what is the concept actually like in person?

Recently, I was invited by SHM to check out AFEELA firsthand. It's still very much a prototype, so certain key information like price, range, and charging times weren't disclosed. But it was still worthwhile to see how these two Japanese institutions put their know-how into this spacious sedan.

Read 15 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / When fitted with the optional carbon-fiber appearance pack, the ZDX manages to give off station wagon vibes. But others thought it looked a bit like a hearse. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

MONTECITO, Calif.—Acura's first fully electric SUV has just gone on sale. The luxury automaker wants all its vehicles to be zero-emissions by 2040, and parent company Honda is investing billions of dollars in electric vehicle manufacturing in North America to help that happen. But its homegrown EVs aren't quite ready yet, and in the meantime, Acura has resorted to a bit of platform-sharing to fill the gap. Scratch under the skin of the 2024 Acura ZDX Type-S and it's pure General Motors, using the same Ultium platform as the Cadillac Lyriq. But the polish is all Acura, including the software.

The ZDX range starts at $64,500 for the single-motor, rear-wheel drive A-Spec model, which is similar in specs to the Cadillac Lyriq we drove a couple of years ago. But Acura brought the $73,500 2024 ZDX Type-S to the first drive. This is the top-spec model, with a 499 hp (372 kW), 544 lb-ft (738 Nm) twin-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain, air suspension, and rather large Brembo brakes.

It’s no lightweight

Those last two features are highly welcome, because they help control the ZDX Type-S's considerable mass—its curb weight is a hefty 6,052 lbs (2,745 kg). Air springs are fast becoming the default choice for premium EVs, and it's quite remarkable how quickly they can react to weight transfer. But the steering lacks feel and makes up for it with weight, and maneuvers like avoiding road debris on the highway will give you a definite reminder that you're driving nearly 3 tons of vehicle. You do get a smooth ride thanks to those air springs, though.

Read 13 remaining paragraphs | Comments

This 1972 Volkswagen Beetle Commercial proudly demonstrates how a Beetle can float in water.

The commercial shows a guy driving his Beetle right into a lake, and then peacefully floating along in the Beetle as if it's a boat. I wonder if anyone followed suit and then found themselves in a pickle.  — Read the rest

The post 1972 Volkswagen Beetle ad shows that it can float in water appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

Enlarge / Tesla's "Full Self Driving" system just got a third cheaper. (credit: Edie Leong for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Tesla has dropped the price of its controversial "Full Self Driving" partially automated driver assist. Last week, getting access to FSD would cost you $12,000—today, it's a third cheaper at $8,000. Alternatively, customers can subscribe to the feature for $99 a month.

Tesla has bet heavily on FSD for the future of the company. It's one of two partially automated driving systems offered by Tesla—Autopilot is the older and less-capable system. FSD includes features such as auto lane changes, auto parking, the ability to summon the car from its parking space, and lane keeping (Autosteer in Tesla-speak) on surface streets.

Tesla claims that "[y]our car will be able to drive itself almost anywhere with minimal driver intervention and will continuously improve," but then also notes that "[t]he currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous."

Read 5 remaining paragraphs | Comments

This 1972 Volkswagen Beetle Commercial proudly demonstrates how a Beetle can float in water.

The commercial shows a guy driving his Beetle right into a lake, and then peacefully floating along in the Beetle as if it's a boat. I wonder if anyone followed suit and then found themselves in a pickle.  — Read the rest

The post 1972 Volkswagen Beetle ad shows that it can float in water appeared first on Boing Boing.

Volkswagen workers at the company's 3600-strong Tennessee plant have voted overwhelmingly to join the United Autoworkers Union.

Shortly after 11 pm ETon Friday the National Labor Relations Board, the federal body that oversees such votes, announced that 73% of the 3,600 workers at the plant who cast ballots had voted in favor of joining the union.

— Read the rest

The post Volkswagen workers vote overwhelmingly to join union appeared first on Boing Boing.

Mark Granger, representing Qualcomm at CES 2024, introduces the Snapdragon digital chassis concept vehicle, a groundbreaking platform designed for in-vehicle infotainment. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Granger suggests selling the vehicle on the market or as a development kit for interested companies. Despite its drivability, the main focus is on in-cabin experiences, showcasing a beautiful UI developed with Unreal Engine. The vehicle demonstrates generative AI capabilities, such as using AI trained on user manuals to answer questions like changing a tire. Granger emphasizes the convenience of AI understanding user queries and providing relevant information. He also showcases a digital twin feature with smooth graphics, illustrating various views and personas, including a fleet driver and a vacationer mode. Snapdragon platforms deliver leading edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity across smartphones, PCs, software-defined vehicles with the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, and more. The car boasts 23 speakers for zonal audio, allowing personalized audio experiences in different areas of the vehicle. Granger mentions the collaboration with JP Morgan and Salesforce for wallet solutions and connected services, emphasizing the upgradeability of hardware performance over time. The Qualcomm Automotive module is highlighted, showcasing its seamless integration with cloud-based testing and real-time performance. Moving on, Granger discusses Qualcomm’s advancements in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including partnerships with OEMs and tier-one systems. The presentation touches on the Snapdragon Automotive module’s compatibility with future generations and its role in speeding up time-to-market for customers. The Flex solution, a single unit handling both infotainment and ADAS, is showcased as a key to scalability for various vehicle types. Granger addresses Qualcomm’s journey in automotive technology, starting with telematics over 20 years ago and evolving into virtualized cockpits in 2014. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to safety and security in ADAS, utilizing the latest Snapdragon processors. The discussion shifts to level 2 and level 3 autonomy as the current focus, with the capability to support higher levels when the market demands it. The booth tour concludes with a demonstration of Qualcomm’s Flex solution, highlighting its ability to efficiently run multiple tasks concurrently. Granger also mentions the potential use of Snapdragon technology in tracking fleets of scooters or two-wheelers. He expresses gratitude to the audience and encourages those interested in development to visit the new Qualcomm Automotive website. Description by Chatgpt.

The Crew Motorfest: Season 3 News

Get ready to hit the gas and explore the breathtaking landscapes of Hawaii and Hollywood in Ubisoft‘s upcoming racing game, The Crew Motorfest. As the latest installment in the popular The Crew franchise, Motorfest promises an exhilarating open-world experience filled with diverse vehicles and intense competitions.

Ubisoft: The Crew Motorfest Season 3 – Patch Notes

Set on the island of O’ahu, players will have the opportunity to race through a meticulously recreated Hawaiian environment, featuring iconic locations such as Honolulu, Waikiki, and the legendary North Shore. The game boasts an impressive roster of vehicles, including muscle cars, off-road vehicles, and supercars from renowned manufacturers like Porsche, Dodge, and Lamborghini.

The Crew Motorfest introduces a new festival-inspired concept, where players can participate in a series of tailor-made races and events across various terrains. Whether you prefer asphalt, dirt, or off-road tracks, there’s something for every racing enthusiast. Multiplayer functionality allows players to compete against friends or join forces in cooperative challenges.

Ubisoft: The Crew Motorfest Season 3 Overview

Developed by Ubisoft’s Ivory Tower studio, known for their expertise in racing games, The Crew Motorfest aims to deliver a visually stunning and immersive gaming experience. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store.

Racing fans can look forward to the worldwide launch of The Crew Motorfest in 2023. Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to unleash your inner racer in this thrilling open-world adventure.

The post The Crew Motorfest: Drive the Hawaii and Hollywood appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

Enlarge / For the previous EcoCar 3 competition, student teams turned Camaro sportscars into hybrids. For the EcoCar EV challenge, their job is to improve on the Cadillac Lyriq. (credit: EcoCar)

Across the country, teams of students at 15 different universities are in the middle of a four-year project, dissecting an electric vehicle and figuring out ways to make it even better. The program, called the EcoCar EV Challenge, was founded more than three decades ago by the US Department of Energy and is run by the DOE's Argonne National Laboratory.

Over the last 35 years, more than 30,000 students from 95 universities have participated in the EcoCar Challenge, part of the DOE's Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition. Each segment spans four years, with the most recent cycle beginning in 2023 with a new Cadillac Lyriq donated by the General Motors automaker.

The students take this competition very seriously, as participation alone brings a lot of benefits, including the potential for a lifelong career path.

Read 19 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / The X-62A VISTA Aircraft flying above Edwards Air Force Base, California. (credit: Kyle Brasier, U.S. Air Force)

An AI test pilot has successfully flown a jet fighter in dogfights against human opponents. It's the latest development for DARPA's Air Combat Evaluation program, which is trying to develop aerospace AI agents that can be trusted to perform safely.

Human test pilots have a bit of a reputation thanks to popular culture—from The Right Stuff to Top Gun: Maverick, the profession has been portrayed as a place for loose cannons with a desire to go fast and break the rules. The reality is pretty far from that these days, especially where DARPA is concerned.

The agency instead wants a machine-learning agent that can safely fly a real aircraft autonomously, with no violations of training rules. After all, neural networks have their own reputation—at this point well-earned—for finding ways to exploit situations that hadn't occurred to humans. And the consequences when controlling a real jet fighter can be a lot more severe than just testing in silico.

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Enlarge / The Tesla Cybertruck. (credit: Tesla)

On Monday, we learned that Tesla had suspended customer deliveries of its stainless steel-clad electric pickup truck. Now, the automaker has issued a recall for all the Cybertrucks in customer hands—nearly 4,000 of them—in order to fix a problem with the accelerator pedal. It has come at an inconvenient time for Tesla, which is laying off more than 10 percent of its workforce due to shrinking sales even as CEO Elon Musk asks for an extra $55.8 billion in compensation.

The problem, which affects all 3,878 Cybertrucks delivered so far, has to do with the EV's accelerator pedal. Tesla has fitted this with a metal-finish cover to match the brushed metal appearance of the truck itself—no word on whether the pedals rust, too—but it says that at some point, "an unapproved change introduced lubricant (soap) to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal. Residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal."

Thanks to the profile of the Cybertruck's under dash, if the pedal cover becomes partially detached it can slide up and become trapped in place, wedging the pedal down and unleashing all of the Cybertruck's substantial power—the dual-motor truck boasts 600 hp (447 kW) and can reach 60 mph (98 km/h) in just over four seconds.

Read 2 remaining paragraphs | Comments