In a consumer electronics fair private to many of its tens of thousands of journalists before the Covid-19 crisis, the two green and white demonstration areas of the French equipment manufacturer Valeo do not pass unnoticed in the heart of the Convention Center in Las Vegas (Nevada). If, for health reasons, the bosses and the majority of the European teams of the industrialist did not make the trip to the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) which opened its doors to the public on Wednesday January 5, officials, most of them Americans. , from Valeo are there to show what looks like a firework display of inventions.
The tenth largest automotive supplier in the world and second in France (16 billion euros in turnover and 110,000 employees in 33 countries) is presenting no less than sixteen major innovations during this 2022 edition. One of them was awarded of a award awarded by CES on Monday January 3: an air purifier designed for buses and coaches. It eliminates, during journeys with passengers on board, more than 95% of viruses, including that of Covid-19.
Importance of research and development
A bit bitter irony of the event, the CEO of Valeo, Jacques Aschenbroich will therefore not be present in Las Vegas, when he is handing over the operational management to his designated dolphin, Christophe Périllat, the current Deputy Managing Director. However, the 2022 vintage represents a sort of summary of the main bets of the company and of Mr. Aschenbroich’s strategy, based on significant efforts in research and development (R&D). Since taking the reins of the group in 2009, the boss has devoted around 10% of his turnover to R&D each year and employs 20,000 engineers there (compared to 6,000 in 2009). Such a level of investment in innovation is not frequent either in French groups or among major suppliers to the automotive industry.
First line of research which we see the realization at CES: the development of the autonomous car. Valeo is unveiling two key innovations in this area: its third-generation long-range lidar (“laser radar”) and a new type of short-range lidar. Valeo is very advanced in this key sensor technology allowing objects surrounding the car to be seen and identified in almost all conditions and in motion. The company is capable of mass-producing lidars with which it now equips the only two vehicles in the world (Honda Legend and Mercedes Classe S) to have obtained level 3 autonomous driving approval (delegation of driving less than 60 kilometers per hour under certain conditions). According to our information, Hyundai-Kia should soon present a vehicle with equivalent capacity also equipped by Valeo.
You have 48.8% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.