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REPORT

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Autonomous Vehicle Technology Report

Examining the latest developments in self-driving vehicles.

Autonomous Vehicle Report

In 2020, Wevolver launched its first Autonomous Vehicle Report that provided a comprehensive knowledge foundation about the technologies enabling autonomous cars. We are now pleased to launch a new report that surveys the advances in this arena over the last three years. Further, we provide a snapshot comparison of four leading AV companies, their tech stacks, and approaches to understand how these technologies are applied in actual use cases. The report is augmented with interviews with the report sponsors, who provide deeper insights into the current state of autonomous vehicles, highlighting their priorities, challenges, and leadership objectives. 

The report examines autonomy from the perspective of passenger vehicles, following the approach of the previous report. However, many of the technologies mentioned are also relevant for other autonomous vehicle types that are making a significant impact in industries and applications such as last-mile delivery, warehouse and logistics, agriculture, mining, search and rescue, and healthcare. 

To create this report, we interviewed dozens of industry experts and collaborated with technical researchers and writers from around the world. We have attempted to cover all relevant technologies; however, due to space constraints, we had to limit some areas. 

This report was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors, the tireless effort of the Wevolver team, the expertise and generosity of our consulting experts, and the attention to detail of our writers, researchers, and designers.

We hope you find value in this report, and we look forward to continuing to make this critical knowledge available for all.

Report Contributors

Cassiano Ferro Moraes

Florianópolis, Brazil

Technical writer with an electrical engineering background and over five years of experience writing articles about electronics, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. Published multiple articles in IEEE explore, including publications in some of the most recognized conferences and journals of the power electronics industry. Vast experience writing articles in the field of electronics, renewable energy, power converters, hardware-in-the-loop, and electric vehicles at Write Choice. 

Dr. Miroslav Milovanovic

Niš, Serbia

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering, holding a PhD in Computer Science and Electrotechnics. Leader of the Laboratory for Intelligent Control within the Control Systems Department. Author of over 45 scientific publications, centered on Data Science and Deep Learning applications.

Gustavo Bruisma

Pato Branco, Brazil

Electrical Engineer graduated at the Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) with MSc. degree in the same field with a deep focus on control systems for electric vehicles. Vast experience writing articles in the field of electronics, renewable energy, power converters, hardware-in-the-loop, and electric vehicles at Write Choice. 

Ana Carla Sorgato

Florianópolis, Brazil

Environmental and Sanitary Engineer graduated at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) with a MSc. in Environmental Engineering from UFSC. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and writing articles about renewable energy, electric vehicles, and engineering at Write Choice.

Ian Dickson

London, United Kingdom

Freelance automotive journalist and editor with more than two decades’ experience in consumer media and branded content. Cutting his teeth as a road tester on What Car? – where he learnt the art of turning the complex into the simple – he quickly moved through the ranks and ended up editor of MSN Cars, at the time the UK’s largest motoring website. For the past 10 years, he’s been creating and developing content and strategies for brands like Porsche, Ferrari, Volvo Cars and HERE Technologies.

Samir Jaber

Leipzig, Germany

Content Specialist with a background in engineering, nanotechnology, and scientific research. Samir has comprehensive experience working with major engineering and technology companies as a writer, editor, and digital marketing consultant. Featured author in 30+ industrial magazines with a focus on IoT, nanotechnology, materials science, engineering, and sustainability. Samir is also an award-winning engineering researcher in the fields of nanofabrication and microfluidics. Editor-in-Chief of the Wevovler 2023 Edge AI Report.

Danny Shapiro

Redwood City, United States

Danny Shapiro is NVIDIA’s Vice President of Automotive, focusing on solutions that enable faster and better design of automobiles, as well as in-vehicle solutions for infotainment, navigation and driver assistance. He's a 25-year veteran of the computer graphics and semiconductor industries, and has been with NVIDIA since 2009. Prior to NVIDIA, Danny served in marketing, business development and engineering roles at ATI, 3Dlabs, Silicon Graphics and Digital Equipment. He holds a BSE in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University and an MBA from the Hass School of Business at UC Berkeley. He lives in Northern California, where his home solar panel system charges his electric car.

Alexander Wischnewski

Munich, Germany

Managing Director and Co-Founder of, driveblocks, a modular, scalable, robust and safe platform for autonomous driving with a focus on commercial vehicle applications. Former PhD lead for the TUM Autonomous Motorsport team. 

Matteo Barale

Milan, Italy

Co-CEO of autonomous mobility startup, PIX MOVING. Design strategy expert with experience in robotics, industrial design, transportation, architecture, titled Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum. 

David Webb

London, United Kingdom

Head of Innovation at Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. David Webb is Head of Innovation for the UK Government’s Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles. CCAV works across government to support the UK’s developing connected and automated vehicle market. CCAV believes that CAVS could change the way we travel, making road transport safer, smoother and more accessible to all. David has a Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Queen Mary, University of London and has spent the last 10 years working for the Ministry of Defence in a variety of technical, analytical and engagement roles. 

John Soldatos

Athens, Greece

Honorary Research Fellow at the University of GlasgowJohn Soldatos holds a Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (2000) and is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK (2014-present). He was Associate Professor and Head of the Internet of Things (IoT) Group at the Athens Information Technology (AIT), Greece (2006–2019), and Adjunct Professor at the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (2007–2010). 

He has significant experience working closely with large multi-national industries (e.g., IBM, INTRACOM, INTRASOFT International) as an R&D consultant and delivery specialist while being a scientific advisor to various high-tech startup enterprises. Dr. Soldatos is an expert in Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and applications, including IoT/AI applications in smart cities, finance (Finance 4.0), and industry (Industry 4.0). 

Jess Miley

Berlin, Germany 

Content Director at Wevolver

Content specialist with a background in architecture and design. Jess has experience working with neuro-tech startups, animated video studios, and news sites as a writer, editor, and business innovation consultant. 

The text was further contributed to by our report sponsors and partner. 


Leadership Interviews

Interview with Mouser

Interview with Murata

Interview with MacroFab

Interview with Nexperia

Interview with SAE International

Interview with Autoware Foundation

Interview with NVIDIA


Autonomous Vehicle Technology Report

REPORT | Autonomous Vehicle Technology Report | CHAPTER 1

Sensing Technologies

author avatar

29 Nov, 2023. 5 min read

State of the Art in Autonomous Vehicles Technologies: Cameras and Vision systems

The core of this report is to make clear the current status of the technologies that form autonomous vehicles. We have separated the chapters into groups covering Sensing, where we take a closer look at the latest advances in cameras, LiDAR, RADAR, ultrasonic sensors, and emerging imaging radar technologies. The Thinking and Learning and Edge Computing chapters examine the dynamic landscape that encompasses advanced AI algorithms, natural language processing (NLP), machine learning techniques, and the transformative impact of edge computing. Finally, we explore the technologies that ensure reliable communication, from rapid 5G Connectivity and dynamic Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates, to the use of Blockchain, as well as Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) and AI/ML-Driven Cybersecurity. 

The report's final chapter looks at four leading autonomous vehicle companies: Waymo, Tesla, Cruise, and Volvo. We compare and contrast their tech stacks presenting a clear overview of the direction of the industry.  

Each section highlights recent innovations, outlining why certain technologies have become dominant, and gives examples of which companies are prominent in the area. 

We invite you to download the full report for free below.  


Sensing Technologies

At the cutting edge of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, the confluence of advanced sensing modalities forms the cornerstone of vehicular autonomy. At the forefront of this confluence lies the integration of high-definition cameras with a suite of diverse sensors, including ultrasonic, LiDAR, and RADAR. This amalgamation, known as 'sensor fusion,' represents the zenith of current efforts to endow vehicles with perception capabilities necessary for full autonomous driving. 

High-definition cameras, qu

CHAPTER 1

Sensing Technologies

State of the Art in Autonomous Vehicles Technologies: Cameras and Vision systemsThe core of this report is to make clear the current status of the technologies that form autonomous vehicles. We have separated the chapters into groups covering Sensing, where we tak ...

CHAPTER 2

Thinking and Learning

Thinking and LearningAutonomous cars employ advanced algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to "think" and "learn." They gather data from various sensors like cameras, radar, and LiDAR, and then process and interpret this dat ...

CHAPTER 3

EDGE and RTOS

...

CHAPTER 4

Communication and Connectivity

Communication and ConnectivityThis chapter delves into the intricate network of communication channels and connectivity protocols that enable AVs to interact with their environment, other vehicles, and infrastructural elements. We also look at ...

CHAPTER 5

Security

...

CHAPTER 6

Tech Stack

Autonomous Vehicle Tech Stack ReviewIn this chapter, we delve into the current status of prominent autonomous vehicle manufacturers, shedding light on their advancements, achievements, and strategic directions. As these industry leaders push th ...

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