alt Hacker NewsClearMotion founder here! Wanted to share some insights that might answer questions from other commenters and clarify what we've developed.
The ClearMotion1 system is a major leap above all tech currently on the market, with transmitted vibration reduced about 80% versus top market technologies. Here's a video comparing it on production NIO cars against luxury vehicles using semi-active (or slow active) systems others mentioned - sort of like comparing a microcontroller to a NVIDIA H100. http://bit.ly/44TDtgl
This matters especially for autonomous vehicles, where the whole point is to give people back time, and preventing motion sickness while working/reading is essential.
Our tech stack:
- Electro-hydraulic actuators that both push/pull actuate and dampen within a few milliseconds, using electric motors (not solenoid valves or special fluids). We use integrated hydraulics as a mechanical gain lever
- Predictive control software that anticipates vehicle, driver, and road dynamics
- "Infinite preview" control using crowdsourced road data with <3cm localization precision
- Software-enabled features including pre-crash posture mitigation and tire grip technology
The combination creates a "software-defined" chassis, similar to how electric power steering enabled today's driver assist features.
Our Bose acquisition was to acquire specific control software and engineering talent, but most of our IP and our production hardware/software was developed in house.
There were a few questions about durability— our system has passed 5 years of testing across millions of miles - a requirement from all of our customers like NIO and Porsche. It’s also a reason why it’s so difficult to succeed as a startup in automotive, but once you’re in, you’re locked in long-term.
Replies
Hello. How does this suspension handle severely neglected roads with large potholes or even off-road type with say 40-50mph? And I mean regularly, for years?
> "Infinite preview" control using crowdsourced road data with <3cm localization precision
Let me guess, all those demos are with carefully mapped bumps.
any work with US automakers planned? Are there issues working with EU / China due to current political realities?
Impressive, but is it as stylish and smooth as the 1978 Royal Deluxe II?
Didn't GM have a camera/software combo that would relax the MR dampener before bumps at one time? It didn't have active movement - just a regular shock but with fine control over fluid movement.
I think you're saying you have a pump that moves hydraulic fluid in anticipation of a road defect/speedbump, and does it per-wheel and proportional to the correction needed. Which is fascinating.
With regards to pre-crash posture, I'm not sure if this is to move the occupants into a more advantageous position for airbag deployment or to get more crash structure involved for a dissimilar vehicle crash (sedan vs. truck). Can you talk more about it? Is there going to be IIHS/Euro NCAP/C-NCAP testing?