(ProPakistani)Pakistani carmakers have begun embracing the integration of new technology into their vehicles in recent years, thanks to the influx of competition in the market. Components such as infotainment units, satellite navigation systems, cruise control, and various other driver-assist features are starting to become common in some cars while others are still catching up.
Nonetheless, the inclusion of these features in all cars seems inevitable as they are quickly becoming a necessity in today’s fast-moving world, both on and off the road. Various individuals and companies are now working on introducing such technology in Pakistan, one of which is Sedenius Technologies — a Pakistan-based IT services company that specializes in the design and development of software for vehicles equipped with autonomous driving.
The company was conceived in 2018 and incorporated in 2019 as a subsidiary of Sedenius Engineering GmBH, a German company that provides software solutions in the field of autonomous and automated driving. The young startup garnered the trust and patronage of premier European automakers, namely, Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen over a short span of time.
Having established a strong reputation in the international market, Sedenius Technologies also has its sight set on the developing Pakistani car market. The Chief Technology Officer of Sedenius Technologies, Aadil Jaleel Choudhry, shared the company’s modus operandi and its future goals with ProPakistani.
Current Target Market
Sedenius Technologies provides its services to the European car market. European automakers are scrambling to expedite the development of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) to get up to speed with the likes of Tesla, General Motors, and other automakers that are excelling in this realm.
Choudhry highlighted that the development of such systems is also aided by the fact that the European governments are slowly mandating these features for automakers to ensure maximum safety on their roads and highways.
The company is currently working towards the development of ADAS that is calibrated and modulated by technologies like the Robot Operating System, Multisensor Data Fusion, and Automotive Data and Time-Triggered Framework, all of which are further polished by multiple virtual test drive modules before they are integrated into the vehicles.
Scope in Pakistan
Choudhry said that the Pakistani car industry has recently started progressing, as far as the integration of technology into vehicles is concerned. He noted that although companies such as Haval, MG, and Changan are making some headway in this realm, the industry has a long way to go before ADAS can be normalized here. He highlighted that there are several infrastructural issues with Pakistani roads that do not allow autonomous driving technology to function properly. “The roads here are devoid of proper markings, which inhibits the system’s capability to read them and react accordingly,” he said.
The CEO also pointed out that the local traffic conditions are tricky for the system to figure out, and motorists tend to not follow the road rules properly, which could also become hard for a computer to process.
“Don’t get me wrong, our systems are quite intelligent. But it would take more than the current intelligence rate for our systems to wade through the dense traffic of Raja Bazar,” he explained.
Given these concerns, Choudhry said that the current scope of the company’s technology in Pakistan is limited but he acknowledged that the industry is heading in a promising direction.
Technology Integration in Pakistani Vehicles
Choudhry said that their current modus operandi includes the software’s in-house development which begins with research and culminates in software that can be deployed in autonomous cars under development. He remarked that the company is also working in IoT, hardware design, and development for applications other than ADAS, which includes the procurement of essential components such as sensors, and chips, and their programming.
“The system is taken through various test runs to ensure its reliability. If it fails, we head back to the drawing board, but if it succeeds, it enters mass production before being installed in vehicles at the time of their manufacturing,” Choudhry added.
He reiterated that Sedenius Technologies is currently operating in the European automotive market and is also in active pursuit of establishing strong ties with Pakistani carmakers to offer them this solution. He added that the government must ensure the establishment of proper infrastructure and stricter enforcement of traffic rules for ADAS technology to work properly, and revealed that the company is also interested in providing infotainment units to local car manufacturers as a short-term goal.
Cost Implications in Pakistan
Regarding the cost implications of integrating ADAS in Pakistani cars, Choudhry said that it will be promising for the company in more ways than one.”Pakistan is regarded all around the world for having a highly-skilled workforce that can do the job without the clients having to break their banks. That is precisely why European automakers procure our services because we provide the solution in an efficient and effective manner,” he clarified.
Moreover, Pakistani carmakers opt for indigenized ADAS technology integration and services, and both the manufacturing cost and the selling price of vehicles could fall significantly to benefit the carmakers and the customers.
Opportunity for All
Choudhry concluded the discussion by saying that Sedenius Technologies has achieved all its milestones based on the hard work of a skilled team, and declared that he greatly appreciates a good workforce.
“Pakistan is rich with young and incredibly talented resources who can offer great value to our company, as well as the local car industry. We particularly strive to give the opportunity to the young tech gurus of Pakistan, so as to establish our value across the continents, as well as within the country,” he said.
He also explained that the company aims to benefit people, the auto industry, and the economy by relying on the local crop of talent to tailor the automotive industry in accordance with the need and requirements of the people.