Silicon Valley comes to Parma

VisLab, a spin-off of the University of Parma, Italy, has been acquired by US image processing systems developer Ambarella for US$30 million. VisLab, founded in 2009 and managed by Alberto Broggi, professor of the Department of Information Engineering, specialises in computer vision software, particularly for automotive applications. The company has won several awards for its research and for its challenges such as the 15,000 kilometres autonomous vehicle driving test from Parma to Shanghai in 2010.
July 13, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
7085 VisLab, a spin-off of the University of Parma, Italy, has been acquired by US image processing systems developer Ambarella for US$30 million.

VisLab, founded in 2009 and managed by Alberto Broggi, professor of the Department of Information Engineering, specialises in computer vision software, particularly for automotive applications. The company has won several awards for its research and for its challenges such as the 15,000 kilometres autonomous vehicle driving test from Parma to Shanghai in 2010.
 
In 2014, VisLab developed DEEVA, the latest prototype equipped with sensors and video cameras capable of perceiving and interpreting real time movements and objects around it and consequently deciding autonomously where to move at which speed.

VisLab believes the commercialisation of such technologies will revolutionise road transportation and will especially help increase road safety by reducing accidents caused by the human factor, or driver distraction and irresponsible attitudes

As part of the acquisition, VisLab and its research team will remain in Italy.

“We have constantly improved our technology through a series of road tests, such as the 2013 tour of Parma (from the University Campus to Piazzale della Pilotta) made by an autonomous self-driving vehicle without any human intervention,” says Professor Broggi. “Now, we are ready for industrialisation.”

“Computer vision is an area of significant focus for Ambarella and for our market,” says Fermi Wang, CEO of Ambarella. “It is very important for us to work in synergy with the University of Parma, where VisLab has been developed”.
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • IP revolution for CCTV systems yet to happen
    February 3, 2012
    The IP Revolution for CCTV systems which has been predicted for some years now has failed to happen, says Craig Howie, commercial director of Visimetrics Ltd. Given the many aspects of different technologies and standards involved in moving high-value, observation-critical applications into a pure digital age, this is perhaps unsurprising, he feels.
    Read More
  • Peter Norton: “My fear is that the technology itself is mistaken for the answer”
    August 5, 2022
    Peter Norton, author of Autonorama, tells Adam Hill why automakers kept the consumer dissatisfied, why Futurama got such a hold on the public imagination – and about how active travel can be promoted
    Read More
  • Mott Macdonald appoints Glenn Lyons as chair of future mobility
    January 10, 2018
    Mott Macdonald (MM) has appointed professor Glenn Lyons as chair of its future mobility initiative to help develop its transport expertise in understanding and responding to a changing and uncertain mobility landscape, shaped by technological possibilities and societal needs. MM will also sponsor his position at the University of the West of England Bristol. Lyons has been professor of transport and society at the University since 2002 and was founding director of its Centre for Transport and Society. His
    Read More
  • 2013 set to be record year for transport infrastructure deals
    November 15, 2013
    Deal values for global transactions of transport infrastructure assets including airports, ports and road operations have risen steeply since the beginning of the year with 2013 poised to be a record year for transport infrastructure deals, according to an analysis by global advisory firm KPMG. The first half of 2013 saw global deals of infrastructure assets worth US$16.6 billion, by the end of the third quarter this figure had risen to US$23.5 billion, which already exceeds total annual deal values fo
    Read More

Highlighted Content