Ambarella Inc.

Last updated
Ambarella, Inc.
Company type Public
Industry Semiconductors
FoundedJanuary 15, 2004;20 years ago (2004-01-15)
Founders
  • Feng-Ming (Fermi) Wang
  • Les Kohn
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
  • Feng-Ming Wang (CEO)
  • Les Kohn (CTO)
  • Casey Eichler (CFO)
  • Alberto Broggi (GM VisLab)
RevenueDecrease2.svg US$226 million (2024)
Decrease2.svgUS$−155 million (2024)
Decrease2.svgUS$−169 million (2024)
Total assets Decrease2.svgUS$658 million (2024)
Total equity Decrease2.svgUS$560 million (2024)
Number of employees
915 (2024)
Website ambarella.com
Footnotes /references
Financials as of January 31,2024 [1]
Ambarella A2-A1-RH, used in a camcorder Maginon DV-10Z - board 1 - Ambarella A2-A1-RH-0391.jpg
Ambarella A2-A1-RH, used in a camcorder

Ambarella, Inc. is an American fabless semiconductor design company, [1] focusing on low-power, high-definition (HD) and Ultra HD video compression, image processing, and computer vision processors. [2] Ambarella's products are used in a wide variety of human and computer vision applications, including video security, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), [3] electronic mirror, [4] drive recorder, driver and in-cabin monitoring, [5] autonomous driving, and robotics applications. Ambarella's system on chips (SoCs) are designed to deliver a combination of video compression, image processing, and computer vision performance with low-power operation to enable cameras to extract data from high-resolution video streams. [6]

Contents

History

Ambarella was founded in 2004 by Feng-Ming (Fermi) Wang and Les Kohn with the goal of developing high-definition H.264 video encoders for the professional broadcast market. [7] Soon after, Ambarella applied this same technology to consumer video and security IP camera markets, focusing on the development of low-power, compression-efficient chips capable of producing high-quality imagery in challenging lighting and high-motion environments.

Over the next decade, Ambarella chips appeared in a number of consumer camera products, including the GoPro Hero (up until the Hero 5 series), the Dropcam by Nest, Garmin automotive dash cams [8] [9] and the DJI Phantom series of drones. In professional markets, Ambarella chips were used in high-end broadcasting encoders such as from Harmonic Inc, [10] and in IP cameras for surveillance from companies like Axis Communications and Bosch. [11]

Technology

In January 2022, Ambarella announced its new Artificial Intelligence Image Signal Processor. [12] This AI-based ISP technology is “capable of recording 8K video or four 4K video streams” and “enhances color imagining and applies HDR in ultra-low light conditions.” [13]

Acquisitions and partnerships

In July 2015, Ambarella acquired VisLab, [14] a pioneer in perception systems and autonomous vehicle research founded by Professor Alberto Broggi. VisLab has a history of developing computer vision and intelligent control systems for automotive and commercial applications, including ADAS and autonomous vehicles. Subsequent generations of Ambarella SoCs incorporated VisLab perception technologies at the hardware level, with the goal of targeting automotive OEM camera designs across all of SAE’s six levels of driving automation [15] (ranging from fully manual to fully automated or “steering wheel optional”).

In November 2021, the company purchased Oculii, a software development company focused on improving “the resolution of radars in self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles." [16]

In June 2022, Ambarella Inc. and Inceptio Technology announced their partnership. Incepto chose four of Ambarella's CVflow SoCs for its automotive-grade central computing platform. [17] Ambarella’s SoCs technology provides simultaneous power processing for “seven 8MP cameras, including AI compute, for surround camera perception and front ADAS safety features like collision avoidance. [17]

In November 2022, Ambarella and elnfochips partnered to design a new line of AI camera products. [18] [19]

In January 2023, Ambarella and Continental announced to partner in the field of AI-based software and hardware systems on the CES 2023 in Las Vegas. Mainly in the field of advanced driver assistance and highly automated driving. [20]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ambarella Inc. Fiscal 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". SEC.gov. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 29 March 2024.
  2. "AMBA.OQ - Ambarella Inc". www.reuters.com. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  3. "ADAS-Focused Partnerships and Solutions Blossom". allaboutcircuits.com. 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  4. "Ambarella CEO: 'Chinese OEMs Are Copying the Tesla Model'". eetimes.com. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  5. "KeepTruckin, Ambarella partner on front ADAS, driver monitoring". fleetequipmentmag.com. 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  6. "Ambarella Introduces New AI SoCs for In-Vehicle Fleet Telematics". allaboutcircuits.com. 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  7. "Forbes Profile: Ambarella". Forbes . Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  8. "Garmin Dash Cam 55".
  9. "Garmin launches four new Bluetooth and WiFi dashcams with Ambarella inside". Facebook .
  10. "Ambarella SoC drives Harmonic Electra 7000 into 20 customers". rethinkresearch.biz. 2007-03-07. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  11. "Bosch Mobility Solutions to adopt Ambarella's CV3 AI SoCs". autonomousvehicleinternational.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  12. "Ambarella introduces new AI-based image signal processor". Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  13. Surfaro, Steve (2022-01-26). "Ambarella's New SoC Makes AI Processing a Reality". www.securityinfowatch.com. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  14. "Ambarella Acquires VisLab, a European Developer of Computer Vision and Intelligent Automotive Control Systems - Ambarella". www.ambarella.com.
  15. "SAE Levels of Driving Automation".
  16. Bush, John (2022-01-20). "Dayton technology firm acquired by California company for over $300M". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  17. 1 2 "Inceptio Technology partners with Ambarella to deliver Level 3 automated driving". The Trucker. 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  18. "Ambarella, eInfochips teaming up on AI camera products". www.securityinfowatch.com. 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  19. "Ambarella and eInfochips team up on AI vision design". www.imveurope.com. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  20. "Continental and Ambarella Partner On Assisted and Automated Driving Systems With Full Software Stack". www.continental.com. 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2022-11-07.