Edge AI hardware provider Kneron has acquired imaging technology firm Otus. The two companies have worked together before to build full-stack software and hardware solutions for autonomous vehicles.
By acquiring Otus, Kneron hopes to strengthen its position in the US and Japanese automotive industries, where demand for AI-based imaging solutions is growing.
Otus already delivers imaging solutions to US and Japanese customers, having become the preferred partner of several Japanese vehicle manufacturers.
While Otus’ systems-on-chip possess advanced imaging capacity that have become essential to the autonomous vehicle market, they still lack AI capabilities.
That is where both companies see an opportunity. Alex Chiu. CEO at Otus, said: “By integrating Kneron’s edge AI capabilities with Otus’ advanced imaging solutions, we are able to create more complete product lines that will better serve our automotive customers.”
In March, Kneron announced that its KL720 AI chips will support Qualcomm’s robotics platforms, serving a range of industrial applications from automated inspections to predictive maintenance.
At the time, Qualcomm Technologies VP of business development, Dev Singh, said: “We are pleased to work with Kneron. With the KL720 supporting our robotics and IoT platforms, we amplify the value of the combined solutions and better serve customer applications.”
Kneron’s KL720 system-on-chip is designed for edge AI, combining an Arm Cortex-M4 processor with power capacity to manage 4K images for the automotive sector.
Kneron founder and CEO Albert Liu said: “Through our previous collaborations, Otus has been an invaluable partner that gave Kneron inroads to tier 1 Japanese automotive customers.”
“Post acquisition, enabled by Otus’ strong imaging technology and industry channels, we will continue working together to expand AI applications across larger global markets.”
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